SpaceX capsule reaches International Space Station

SpaceX Crew-1 mission aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon (R) docked to the International Space Station (L) on Monday. Pic/AFP

SpaceX's newly launched capsule with four astronauts arrived on Monday at the International Space Station, their new home until spring. The Dragon capsule pulled up and docked late Monday night, following a 27-hour, completely automated flight from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The linkup occurred 422 km above Idaho.

"Oh, what a good voice to hear," space station astronaut Kate Rubins called out when the Dragon's commander, Mike Hopkins, first made radio contact. "We can't wait to have you on board," she added after the two spacecraft were latched together. This is the second astronaut mission for SpaceX. But it's the first time Elon Musk's company delivered a crew for a full half-year station stay.

The three Americans and one Japanese astronaut will remain at the orbiting lab until their replacements arrive on another Dragon in April.

Meanwhile, China on Tuesday moved a massive rocket, Long March-5, into place in preparation for launching a mission to bring back materials from the moon for the first time in four decades.

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