CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—NASA and private rocket company SpaceX launched four astronauts into orbit late on Wednesday, sending a veteran spacewalker, two younger crewmates chosen for future lunar missions, and a German materials scientist on their way to the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—Elon Musk’s private rocket company, SpaceX, was due to launch four more astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA on Wednesday, including a veteran spacewalker and two younger crewmates chosen to join NASA’s forthcoming lunar missions.

Four astronauts safely returned on Monday from a record six-month NASA science mission aboard the International Space Station, splashing down with their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule in the Gulf of Mexico at the end of a daylong flight home.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—The latest in a recent line of space-obsessed billionaires was set for liftoff on Wednesday with three less wealthy private citizens along for the ride aboard a SpaceX rocket ship, seeking to become the first all-civilian crew launched into Earth orbit.

Yet another billionaire entrepreneur is set to ride into space this week, strapped inside the capsule of a SpaceX rocketship as part of an astro-tourist team poised to make history as the first all-civilian crew launched into Earth orbit.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—A SpaceX shipment of ants, avocados, and a human-sized robotic arm rocketed toward the International Space Station on Sunday.

WASHINGTON—NASA agreed on Thursday to temporarily halt work on a $2.9 billion lunar lander contract awarded to Elon Musk’s SpaceX after rival billionaire businessman Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin sued the U.S government, an agency spokeswoman said.

NASA has halted the funding for SpaceX until the GAO solves two formal protests.

According to Space, NASA and Elon Musk's commercial rocket company SpaceX will launch a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station early on the morning of April 23, on a second NASA flight.