28 May 2020

US astronauts due to head into space via commercial rocket

From Morning Report, 7:29 am on 28 May 2020

In just over an hour's time, two US astronauts will be sent into space, aboard the Crew Dragon capsule.

It's a launch of particular consequence - the first to happen off of US soil since 2011, and the first done aboard a spacecraft built by the billionaire entrepreneur, Elon Musk's company, SpaceX.

While it's just a demonstration mission - to show SpaceX's ability to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station and back safely - it's being hotly anticipated across the world.

Brendan Byrne, the Space Reporter for the local radio station WMFE Orlando speaks to Susie Ferguson.