WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- NASA and SpaceX are targeting this Saturday for the historic launch of NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 mission with astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along with Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, will launch on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft on the first crew rotation mission to the ISS as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

Liftoff is scheduled for Saturday at 7:49 p.m. EST, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA and SpaceX managers gathered Monday to begin the Crew-1 mission's Flight Readiness Review at the Kennedy Space Center.

The review focuses on the preparedness of SpaceX's crew transportation system, the ISS, and its international partners to support the flight, and the certification of flight readiness, according to NASA.

The launch will be the first time an international crew will fly aboard a NASA-certified, commercially-owned and operated American rocket and spacecraft from American soil.