SpaceX Launches Supply Ship to Space Station

A cargo ship with more than 5,700 pounds of supplies is on its way to the International Space Station. The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral at 12:29 p.m. Eastern Time, a day later than scheduled because of upper-level winds.

This is the third time this Dragon capsule has been flown in space, but it's the first time this Falcon 9 booster has been used. SpaceX says the rocket was able to land on its unmanned drone ship off the coast of Jacksonville. It will be towed to Port Canaveral and recycled for a future mission.

The Dragon capsule will rendezvous and dock with the space station over the weekend. NASA wouldn't confirm it, but administrators say the ship may also be carrying some Christmas presents for the crew. The capsule will stay docked to the I-S-S for about a month. It will be released and allowed to splash down in the Pacific Ocean, off the California coast. Astronauts will send back completed experiments, broken equipment, and trash that they no longer need in orbit.

Image courtesy Getty


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