SpaceX Looks to Make Spaceflight History With Reused Dragon Capsule
Stormy weather thwarted SpaceX's effort Thursday to launch its first recycled cargo ship to the International Space Station. The company says it will try again Saturday.
By City News Service ••
Southern California-based SpaceX will look to make more history Saturday when the company launches a supply mission to the International Space Station using a spacecraft that will be making its second visit to the outpost.
Stormy weather thwarted SpaceX's effort Thursday to launch its first recycled cargo ship to the International Space Station.
A lightning strike within 11 miles of the pad violated launch weather rules. Moments later, SpaceX halted the countdown at Florida's Kennedy Space Center with just 25 minutes remaining. The company will try again Saturday, but more storms are expected.
The Hawthorne company has already revolutionized the spaceflight industry by recovering the first stage of its Falcon 9 rockets multiple times for re-use. The company successfully re-used one of them during a March flight.
The scheduled launch will mark the first time SpaceX has re-used one of its Dragon spacecraft, albeit a heavily refurbished one. The craft previously traveled to the International Space Station in 2014.
The spacecraft will be launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and SpaceX will again attempt to recapture the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that boosts it into orbit, landing the rocket back at Cape Canaveral. If successful, it would be the fourth time SpaceX has piloted the rocket's first stage back to Cape Canaveral. The rockets have been recovered six times on a barge floating in the ocean.
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The mission, dubbed CRS-11, will carry nearly 6,000 pounds of supplies and payloads, according to SpaceX.
The rescheduled launch window will open at 5:07 p.m ET (2:07 p.m. PT) Saturday.
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HAWTHORNE-CA-MAY 29: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveils the company's new manned spacecraft, The Dragon V2, designed to carry astronauts into space during a news conference on May 29, 2014, in Hawthorne, California. The private spaceflight company has been flying unmanned capsules to the International Space Station delivering cargo for the past two years. The Dragon V2 will ferry up to seven astronauts to low-Earth orbit. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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HAWTHORNE-CA-MAY 29: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveils the company's new manned spacecraft, The Dragon V2 (L) designed to carry astronauts into space with the Dragon unmanned spacecraft suspended in air during a news conference on May 29, 2014, in Hawthorne, California. The private spaceflight company has been flying unmanned capsules to the International Space Station delivering cargo for the past two years. The Dragon V2 manned spacecraft will ferry up to seven astronauts to low-Earth orbit. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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HAWTHORNE-CA-MAY 29: A view of inside the Dragon V2 manned capsule designed to carry astronauts after it was unveiled by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk during a news conference on May 29, 2014, in Hawthorne, California. The private spaceflight company has been flying unmanned capsules to the Space Station delivering cargo for the past two years. The Dragon V2 manned spacecraft will ferry up to seven astronauts to low-Earth orbit. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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HAWTHORNE-CA-MAY 29: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks with invited guests inside the manned capsule Dragon V2 after unveiling it at the company's headquarters on May 29, 2014, in Hawthorne, California. The private spaceflight company has been flying unmanned capsules to the Space Station delivering cargo for the past two years. The Dragon V2 manned spacecraft will ferry up to seven astronauts to low-Earth orbit. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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HAWTHORNE-CA-MAY 29: The Dragon V2 manned spacecraft is unveiled at the company's headquarters by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk during a news conference on May 29, 2014, in Hawthorne, California. The private spaceflight company has been flying unmanned capsules to the Space Station delivering cargo for the past two years. The Dragon V2 manned spacecraft will ferry up to seven astronauts to low-Earth orbit. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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HAWTHORNE-CA-MAY 29: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveils the company's new manned spacecraft, The Dragon V2, designed to carry astronauts into space during a news conference on May 29, 2014, in Hawthorne, California. The private spaceflight company has been flying unmanned capsules to the Space Station delivering cargo for the past two years. The Dragon V2 manned spacecraft will ferry up to seven astronauts to low-Earth orbit. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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HAWTHORNE-CA-MAY 29: The cabin of The Dragon V2 is seen after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveils the company's new manned spacecraft, The Dragon V2, designed to carry astronauts into space during a news conference on May 29, 2014, in Hawthorne, California. The private spaceflight company has been flying unmanned capsules to the Space Station delivering cargo for the past two years. The Dragon V2 manned spacecraft will ferry up to seven astronauts to low-Earth orbit. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
