SpaceX’s Crew-13 successfully docked with the International Space Station Thursday night after completing one of the fastest U.S. flights to the orbiting laboratory.

The crew docked at about 7:05 p.m. Eastern after launching from Kennedy Space Center at 11:10 a.m. The trip lasted seven hours and 55 minutes—about the same amount of time it takes to drive from Orlando to Atlanta.

“From Spaceship Grace, thank you very much for that warm welcome,” the crew said after docking.

The mission marked the second spaceflight for Spaceship Grace. Crew-13 includes pilot Luke Delaney from DeBary, who was part of the historic mission.

Before launch, supporters gathered at Kennedy Space Center, including Janet Cataldo, who drove more than two and a half hours with her husband to watch the liftoff.

“When you hear it go off and 30 seconds later you feel the thunder and the vibration—oh my gosh, it’s totally amazing,” Cataldo said.

During the trip, the crew traveled at approximately 17,500 miles per hour.

“I hope you enjoyed the expedited ride,” a NASA representative said. “We were hoping to have some Mountain Dew chilly and melty for you, but as it turns out, curbside doesn’t cover low Earth orbit.”

Crew-13 will spend the next six months conducting research on human health, crop growth and medical technology.

The crew also shared a message with those watching from Earth, saying they hope people will one day see the planet from space and recognize a future “full of optimism and prosperity.”

“We have to choose that,” the crew said. “It is a future we feel begins through space.”