Elon Musk’s SpaceX successfully launched four NASA astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA on Thursday.
The company’s Falcon rocket took off from Kennedy Space Center in Flordia, shortly after midnight on the East Coast. The launch was its second attempt after the first was called off on Monday due to a clogged filter in the engine ignition system, according to reports.
The launch included Sultan al-Neyadi, the first person from the Arab world to visit the station, who will stay for a six-month mission. About 80 spectators from the United Arab Emirates watched al-Neyadi, the second Emirati to ever fly into space.
He is bringing with him dates to share with the crew, reports said, especially during Ramadan, which begins this month.
Al-Neyadi will also be joined this spring by two Saudi astronauts going to the space station on a private SpaceX flight paid for by the Saudi government.
The incoming crew will replace a US, Russian and Japanese group that has manned the ISS since October.
Another two Russians and an American had their stints doubled until September following a leak in the Soyuz capsule, per reports. A replacement Soyuz arrived last weekend.
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