Astronauts from Turkey, Sweden and Italy launch to space station on latest chartered flight

By MARCIA DUNN
AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX has launched Turkey’s first astronaut along with a Swede and Italian to the International Space Station. It’s the third private flight to the space station arranged by a Houston company. The Falcon rocket blasted off from Florida on Thursday, carrying the three aviators and their escort, a former NASA astronaut. Their capsule should reach the space station on Saturday. They will spend two weeks performing experiments, chatting up schoolchildren and soaking in the views of Earth, before returning. The mission is costing each of their countries an estimated $55 million or more.