Space X: Falcon 9 Launches to return USA Astronauts stranded on the ISS

Falcon 9 launches Crew-9, the first human spaceflight mission to launch from pad 40 in Florida | A SpaceX rocket soared into the sky Saturday with two passengers on board, leaving two seats empty to return American astronauts who have been stranded for months on the International Space Station.

Crew-9 mission lifted off at 12:17 p.m. CDT from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This marks the first time a human spaceflight mission launched from the pad.

It is expected to take 28.5 hours for the spacecraft to autonomously dock to the space station at 4:30 p.m. CDT Sunday, Sept. 29, while traveling 17,000 mph orbiting the Earth.