NASA preparing to launch astronauts

It's been 9 years since American astronauts launched into space from U.S. soil.

That's going to change today - as two NASA astronauts are set to take off from Florida.

BUT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGETODAY.TWO NASA ASTRONAUTS ARE SET TOTAKE OFF FROM FLORIDA ABOARD A"SPACE-X" ROCKET - TO GO TO THEINTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.REPORTER MAYA RODRIGUEZ SPOKEWITH AN ASTRONAUT ABOUT WHYTHIS MISSION IS SO SIGNIFICANT.((NATS)) WHEN THE SPACE SHUTTLEATLANTIS RETURNED TO EARTH IN20-11 IT MARKED THE END OFNASA'S LEGENDARY SPACE SHUTTLEPROGRAM.((NATS)) ASTRONAUT REXWALHEIM WAS PART OF ITSFOUR-PERSON CREW.((12:38:45)) REX WALHEIM, NASAASTRONAUT: "I REMEMBER THATNIGHT BEFORE WE CAME HOME, OURCOMMANDER SAID, 'THIS IS IT.THIS IS THE LAST TIME PEOPLEWILL BE EATING DINNER HERE ANDASTRONAUTS ARE SCHEDULED FOR AHISTORIC MISSION CALLEDDEMO-2 INVOLVING A SPACE-XROCKET AND DRAGON CAPSULE.IT'S THE FIRST TIME A PRIVATECOMPANY IS LAUNCHING NASAASTRONAUTS TO SPACE...AND THE FIRST TIME IN NINEYEARS THAT AMERICANASTRONAUTS ARE DEPARTINGFROM U-S SOIL.((12:42:44)) REX WALHEIM, NASA:LAUNCHING NASA ASTRONAUTS TOSPACE...AND THE FIRST TIME IN NINEYEARS THAT AMERICANASTRONAUTS ARE DEPARTINGFROM U-SSOIL.((12:42:44)) REX WALHEIM, NASA:"WE REALLY WANT TO INCREASEACCESS TO SPACE AND THAT'S WHATTHIS DOES." THE ASTRONAUTSUNDERTAKING THIS MISSION --ROBERT BEHNKEN AND DOUG HURLEY.((37:15)) DOUG HURLEY, NASAASTRONAUT ON DEMO-2 MISSION:"AFTER FIVE YEARS OF EVERY DAYWORKING ON THIS PROGRAM, ITHINK BOB AND I ARE ONLY TWO OFMANY PEOPLE READY TO GET THISTHING AIRBORNE." NINE YEARSAGO HURLEY WAS ONBOARD THATFINAL SPACE SHUTTLE MISSIONWITH WALHEIM.((12:42:35)) REX WALHEIM, NASA:"IT'S NEAT TO SEE HIM GO OUTTHERE AND BE ABLE TO BE INSPACE AGAIN." AND WALHEIM KNOWSEXACTLY WHAT AWAITS THIS CREWON LAUNCH DAY ((12:36:36))REX WALHEIM, NASA: "ABOUT SIXSECONDS BEFORE LAUNCH THE MAINENGINES COME UP AND THATVEHICLE STARTS SHAKING LIKEIT'S COMING APART.IT'S JUST AMAZING." ANEXPERIENCE HE HOPES WILL TOUCHPEOPLE WATCHING IN THE U-S ANDAROUND THE WORLD DURING THISDIFFICULT TIME.((12:39:36)) REX WALHEIM, NASA:"IT'S HARD ENOUGH TRYING TOSEND PEOPLE IN SPACE -- TO TRYAND SEND PEOPLE IN SPACE DURINGA PANDEMIC, IT MAKES IT EXTRAHARD." // ((12:40:11)) "ITSHOWS WHAT WE ALL NEED TO DODOWN HERE TODAY.COOPERATION." WORKING TOGETHERHERE ON EARTH AND HIGHABOVE.I'M MAYA RODRIGUEZ REPORTING.AND YOU CAN WATCH THE LAUNCHRIGHT HERE ON CHANNEL 13.ABC WILL AIR A SPECIAL REPORT..

STARTING ABOUT 1-15 P-M.IF BAD WEATHER SCRUBS THELAUNCH...THEY WILL TRY AGAIN ONSATURDAY...AND, IF THAT DOESN'T WORK...THEY WILL TRY AGAIN ON SUNDAY.TIME NOW IS X:XX --A NEW PIECE OF LITERATURECOMING FROM THE AUTHOR OF HA