A crew of four from four countries is in orbit following a successful launch to the International Space Station at 3:27 EDT (11:27 am UAE time) on Saturday, August 26, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
NASA said in a press release.
The agency's SpaceX Crew-7 mission is NASA's seventh commercial crew rotation mission.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Dragon spacecraft into orbit carrying NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov for a science expedition aboard the orbital laboratory.
"Crew-7 is a shining example of the power of both American ingenuity and what we can accomplish when we work together," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "Aboard the station, the crew will conduct more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations to prepare for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, all while benefitting humanity on Earth. By partnering with countries around the world, NASA is engaging the best scientific minds to enable our bold missions, and it's clear that we can do more – and we can learn more – when we work together."
US President Donald Trump and Iran threatened to escalate their war by attacking energy and desalination facilities in the Gulf, a potential widening of hostilities that could deepen a regional crisis and add to concerns in global markets.
An Israeli airstrike on a police vehicle on Sunday killed three people in the middle of the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, health officials said, hours after another person was killed in a strike on northern Gaza.
The Strait of Hormuz remains open to all shipping except vessels linked to "Iran's enemies", Iran's representative to the UN maritime agency was quoted as saying in Iranian media reports published on Sunday.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has renewed its condemnation of continued Iranian attacks on member states, including the targeting of infrastructure and oil facilities, in flagrant violation of international law and a direct threat to regional security, stability and the safety of global energy supplies.