The Dragon capsule is expected to arrive at the International Space Station on Sunday. Friday's launch was the first experiment with a new landing system designed to return the first stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket to its launch pad.<\/p>\n
A cargo-laden capsule is on its way to the International Space Station after Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) successfully lofted the craft on Friday afternoon. <\/p>\n
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The company's Dragon capsule is expected to arrive Sunday morning after the company's Falcon 9 rocket, launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station adjacent to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, placed it on orbit. <\/p>\n
Friday was the fourth try for a mission originally scheduled for launch on March 16. One delay was attributed to an oil leak in the unpressurized portion of the Dragon capsule, a second to a malfunction in one of the Air Force's tracking radars, and a third to a helium leak in the rocket. <\/p>\n
Foul weather overnight Thursday and overcast skies Friday dropped the likelihood of launch to about 30 to 40 percent. But the weather conditions eased up enough to allow for Friday's launch at 3:25 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time. <\/p>\n
\"The rocket flight was perfect, as far as we could tell, and the Dragon deployment went well,\" said Elon Musk, SpaceX's chief executive officer and chief designer, during a postlaunch briefing. <\/p>\n
With the capsule safely on its way, attention quickly turned to the performance of the Falcon 9's first stage. The company used a version upgraded with technology that will allow it to return to its launchpad and touch down under its own power. The goal is to have a rocket that is fully reusable. <\/p>\n
Friday's launch was the first experiment with the system, which includes beefed-up thrusters and four 25-foot legs that sprout from the booster as it descends. <\/p>\n
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On fourth try, SpaceX capsule en route to space station<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Dragon capsule is expected to arrive at the International Space Station on Sunday. Friday's launch was the first experiment with a new landing system designed to return the first stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket to its launch pad. A cargo-laden capsule is on its way to the International Space Station after Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Continue reading