Neil Cavuto previews SpaceX, NASA gearing up for historic launch
SpaceX prepares to launch 2 NASA astronauts in first manned mission; ‘Your World’ anchor Neil Cavuto joins ‘America’s Newsroom.’
Fox News and Fox Business anchor Neil Cavuto provided a special preview of the historic launch of NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station.
"This duo leading this effort – they're married astronauts, they are well-seasoned going into space," said Cavuto on "America's Newsroom" on Wednesday.
"Between them and their spouses, they've done this a half a dozen times, so there's a lot of experience there loaded atop that fancy-schmancy rocket."
The astronauts will ride to the space station on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, propelled by the company's Falcon 9 rocket. Billionaire Elon Musk is the CEO of SpaceX.
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"Remember, it's the first time in nearly a decade that we are launching our own men into space," Cavuto added. "We save a lot of money doing that."
Cavuto is also anchoring a special edition of his show "Your World," at 4 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel to cover the launch.
The program will feature interviews with some of the most iconic figures in the history of the U.S. space program, including Gene Kranz, the flight commander of the Apollo 11 and Apollo 13 missions.
"He played a very big role in getting Apollo 13 back to Earth safely," said Cavuto. "He said that this is going to be something that all Americans should celebrate."
The saga of the troubled Apollo 13 mission, and Kranz's role in rescuing the astronauts, is re-examined in Fox Nation's documentary "Return to Earth, The Triumph of Apollo 13," hosted by Cavuto.
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In April 1970, as Apollo 13 approached the moon – about 200,000 away miles from Earth – an oxygen tank on the spacecraft suddenly exploded.
The Apollo 13 crew immediately alerted ground control in a now-iconic communication.
"OK, Houston, we've had a problem here," said the crew.
"This is Houston, say again, please," came the reply from Earth.
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"Houston, we've had a problem," they repeated.
With exclusive interviews and rarely seen NASA footage, Cavuto re-constructed the six dramatic days that followed, as American courage and ingenuity transformed near-certain tragedy into one of the space program's greatest triumphs.
On "Your World," Cavuto will also be speaking to the son of Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon, as well as the daughter of Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the Moon.
"I can't tell you how many times I covered Gene Cernan and he was waiting for a day like this," concluded Cavuto, "even predicted that it would be private enterprise that would be leading the effort to help NASA do this."
To watch all of "Return to Earth, The Triumph of Apollo 13," as well as the special, "Fly Me To The Moon," go to Fox Nation and sign up today.
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Fox News' Chris Ciaccia contributed to this report.
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