WATCH: Dragon Spacecraft Makes Historic Docking at International Space Station

The Dragon spacecraft docked at the International Space Station on Sunday morning, just 19 hours after the NASA SpaceX launch.

“At 10:16 a.m. Eastern time, the Dragon spacecraft carrying veteran NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley rendezvoused with the space station 262 statute miles above the border of China and Mongolia,” ABC News reported.

The article continued:

The accomplishment came at 18 hours and 58 minutes after the SpaceX rocket propelled the astronauts into a new chapter of space exploration, marking the first time a privately funded space program teamed with NASA on such an endeavor. Shortly after linking up with the space station, 12 latches of the Dragon were deployed creating an airtight seal that will allow Behnken and Hurley to [sic] entered a vestibule and go into the space station.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shared video footage on its Twitter page of the incredible event as the craft slowly approached the space station:

Docking confirmed! @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug officially docked to the @Space_Station at 10:16am ET: pic.twitter.com/hCM4UvbwjR

— NASA (@NASA) May 31, 2020

Once they had docked, Behnken and Hurley began preparations to open the hatch:

.@AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug are about an hour away from joining the crew on board the @Space_Station. Watch: https://t.co/bXCGg5kzBB pic.twitter.com/JdTnsqKvB6

— NASA (@NASA) May 31, 2020

Astronauts already inside the station performed a series of leak checks to make sure the pressure was safely stabilized before opening the hatch, NASA explained.

When the checks were complete, Behnken and Hurley entered the space station and greeted their fellow astronauts:

This is the first time in human history @NASA_Astronauts have entered the @Space_Station from a commercially-made spacecraft. @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug have finally arrived to the orbiting laboratory in @SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/3t9Ogtpik4

— NASA (@NASA) May 31, 2020

Once the astronauts settled in, NASA’s Deputy Administrator Jim Morhard praised them for their historic accomplishment.

He stated:

Gentlemen, congratulations. You know, Jim’s mentioned going to the moon, and yesterday and today… you’ve inspired the Artemis generation, which is our next generation. And that’s what this is about. It’s really bringing the children that we’ve got and our grandchildren forward so they’ll be the ones that are going into deep space. This is the dawn of a new era, and we just thank you for being at the beginning of it. Thank you so much.

Saturday, President Trump also commended Behnken and Hurley and called the launch America’s “bold and triumphant return to the stars”:

Yesterday marked the first crewed launch from American soil in nearly a decade.

These two great American astronauts have now docked at the International Space Station! pic.twitter.com/HzEl5EOMRZ

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 31, 2020

“So today as we mark a renewed commitment to America’s future in space, let us also commit to a brighter future for all of our citizens right here on earth,” he concluded.