SpaceX rocket takes off with four astronauts

A SpaceX rocket carrying three American astronauts and a Japanese astronaut launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Sunday bound for the International Space Station (ISS).

The mission, which is the first crewed mission to use a SpaceX rocket, successfully began Sunday evening after being delayed from an initial planned launch on Saturday due to onshore winds, according to a NASA press release.

Sunday’s launch was attended by Vice President Pence and his wife Karen Pence, who wore masks and watched from a balcony.

WATCH: VP Mike Pence watches the SpaceX/NASA launch in Cape Canaveral, FL on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/qImeJRNJrL

— The Hill (@thehill) November 15, 2020

The SpaceX Crew Dragon craft is expected to dock with the ISS Monday evening. The three U.S. astronauts participating in the mission are Shannon Walker, Victor Glover and Michael Hopkins; they are accompanied by Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.