Ignition, liftoff.

With a thunderous rocket roar, America opened a new chapter in space history today.

The first launch in nine years and the first private company ever to launch NASA astronauts into space.

The vehicle is supersonic.

Astronauts Doug Hurley and Rob Behnken traveling 17,000 miles per hour for a Sunday morning rendezvous with the space station,

Isolated since March to avoid COVID exposure, they donned their new space suits this morning before waving goodbye a second time to their families.

With millions tuning in around the world, hundreds of thousands lined the Florida coast to watch the launch in person.

Some choosing to socially distance, but many if not most caught up in the moment.

We're still America, still strong, we're great.

We can overcome these challenges, and we still press forward.

Hurley and Benghnken arriving at Launch Pad 39A in an Elon Musk Tesla.

The volatile weather clearing just in time, as the president and vice president returned for the second attempt.

Falcon-station separation confirmed.

The liftoff and rocket separation exactly as planned.

Dragon-SpaceX nominal orbital insertion.

In a signature SpaceX maneuver, its booster rocket return to a bullseye landing on a barge in the ocean.

At a time of political polarization and pandemic isolation, a moment for the entire nation to cheer as one.

From space Bob Behnken weighed in.

It was incredible.

I appreciate all the hard work and thanks for the great ride to space.

So proud of the people at NASA, all the people that worked together, public and private.

When you see a sight like that, it's incredible.

Tom, it was thrilling watching this all live with you.

When did the astronauts arrive at the space station?

10:29 a.m. tomorrow morning.

And by the way this mission could last one to four months depending on how well the spaceship performs.

And then NASA focuses on the next mission going to the moon, it hopes, within four years.

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