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A commercial rocket blasts off for International Space Station, opening new era of spaceflight
In this April 20, 2012 NASA/European Space Agency photo, Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers, left, and American astronaut Donald Pettit await the arrival of the SpaceX Dragon supply capsule after its scheduled launch aboard the Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral to the International Space Station. Private rocket maker SpaceX aimed for a Tuesday liftoff after fixing the engine problem that caused a launch abort over the weekend. If launched Tuesday, May 22, the Dragon will reach the space station Thursday and undergo a series of practice maneuvers from more than a mile out. Then on Friday, the capsule will fly within reach of the station's 58-foot robot arm, which will snare it and berth it to the orbiting lab. The arm will be operated by astronauts Pettit,and Kuipers, two of the six station residents. (AP Photo/NASA/European Space Agency)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A commercial rocket has blasted off with a load of supplies for the International Space Station.
The SpaceX company's Falcon 9 rocket took flight at 3:44 a.m. Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, opening a new era of spaceflight. It carried a capsule named Dragon that is packed with 1,000 pounds of space station provisions.
This is the first time a private business has launched a vessel to the space station. That's something only major governments have done — until now.
The real test comes Thursday when the Dragon gets close to the space station. It will undergo practice manoeuvrs from more than a mile out. If all goes well, the docking will occur Friday.
NASA and SpaceX stress that this is a demonstration flight.
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