WATCH LIVE: NASA and SpaceX launch historic Falcon 9 flight with U.S. crew

The launch is scheduled for 4:33 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 27. 

Wednesday’s launch marks the first crewed mission to depart from the United States since the Atlantis shuttle took off in July 2011. 

NASA pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will be the sole crew of the spacecraft, which is capable of seating up to seven people. The Russian shuttles NASA has used over the past several years, in contrast, can carry just three.

Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 and will be at Kennedy Space Center to watch the launch.

PBS