NASA, SpaceX target historic spaceflight despite pandemic

NASA, SpaceX target historic spaceflight despite pandemic

NASA and SpaceX said Friday they were pressing ahead with plans to launch astronauts to space from US soil for the first time in nearly a decade later on this month, despite the coronavirus pandemic.. Should the mission succeed, the US will have achieved its goal of no longer having to buy seats on Russian Soyuz rockets to give its astronauts rides to the International Space Station (ISS).. Behnken and Hurley, who have been training for the "Demo-2" mission for years, will dock with the International Space Station (ISS) and remain there for between one to four months, depending on when the next mission takes place, said NASA's Steve Stich.. Crew Dragon is able to remain in orbit for around four months (119 days).. Image: NASA/AFP/File / Handout The mission will be the first time astronauts have launched into space from US soil in a decade. Egypt obtains advanced early diagnostic devices to detect coronavirus.