SpaceX launches Indian-origin astronaut Raja Chari-led Crew 3 mission

WHY IN THE NEWS?        

• US Space agency NASA and the Elon Musk-owned private rocket company SpaceX have launched the “Crew 3” mission on November 10, 2021. The “Crew 3” mission consists of Indian-origin NASA astronaut Raja Chari as its mission commander.
• The other three astronauts are NASA’s Tom Marshburn (pilot); and Kayla Barron (mission specialist); as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer (mission specialist).
• Under this mission, four astronauts have been sent to the International Space Station (ISS) for a six-month science mission until April 2022. The four-member international crew of astronauts lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida onboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule named Endurance fixed to Falcon 9 rocket.