SpaceX launches four astronauts to International Space Station

The launch by Elon Musk's SpaceX marks the 600th person to reach space in 60 years.

After a series of delays, Elon Musk's private company SpaceX has launched four astronauts to the International Space Station night on the "Crew-3" mission.

Crew-3's Raja Chari, Kayla Barron and Tom Marshburn of the United States and Matthias Maurer of Germany blasted off aboard a Crew Dragon capsule fixed to a Falcon 9 rocket at 9:03 pm local time (0203 GMT Thursday) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The launch was greeted by applause in the SpaceX control room.

The spaceship, called Endurance, will dock with the ISS at 7:10 pm Thursday (0010 GMT Friday).

The orbital outpost is currently operating with just one NASA astronaut in the US segment to welcome the incoming crew, after the astronauts of the earlier Crew-2 mission splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday night.

The quartet will spend six months on the orbital outpost and conduct research to help inform future deep space exploration and benefit life on Earth.

NASA associate administrator and former astronaut Bob Cabana described the launch as "fantastic."

"I think it's an amazing time for America's space program. We are definitely at an inflection point," he added.

The flight was initially postponed from October 31 first for weather, then a "minor medical issue" affecting one of the crew. NASA did not say who it was but said it was not Covid-related.