SpaceX launch a ‘booming’ success

NASA said Monday the CRS-9 mission carries 5,000 pounds of cargo, which will reach the space station on Wednesday.

The unmanned Falcon rocket is scheduled to lift off early Monday.

This will also mark SpaceX’s ninth resupply mission for the space station, after the failed resupply mission last June 2015, where the second stage rocket exploded during mid launch and destroyed precious scientific equipment and hardware. This is port No. 2.

“It’s a great day for SpaceX, a great day for NASA”, Joel Montalbano, NASA’s deputy manager of ISS utilization, said during a post-launch news conference, Space.com reports. With the old space shuttle program shelved five years ago, the United States relies on Russian Soyuz capsules to transport passengers to and from the station.

Falcon 9 rocket blasted off at 12:45:29 a.m. EDT (0445:29 GMT) Monday from Cape Canaveral’s Complex 40 launch pad.

The payload included a pocket-size device that will allow DNA sequencing in space for the first time. Three other boosters landed vertically on an ocean platform, after delivering the spacecraft into its orbit. Today was the first time SpaceX attempted to bring a rocket back to land since their successful land-based recovery back in December.

With the IDA loaded in the rear trunk of the Dragon, the interior of the Dragon capsule holds about 3,800 pounds of material including experiment supplies for dozens of the 250 research projects taking place on the station during Expeditions 48 and 49.

The Dragon spacecraft with the supplies will deploy about 10 minutes after liftoff and will arrive at the space station about two days later.

As for when one of these reusable rockets will actually be reused – that’s supposed to happen sometime this fall.

The company has had a bit more trouble nailing the landings, as would be expected.

Journalists as well as NASA and SpaceX public relations staff and VIPs have been ordered to find alternative viewing sites.

Currently, the aerospace manufacturer is developing astronaut worthy versions of its Dragon cargo capsules. As reported by Space.com, the rocket’s first stage detached and executed several engine burns to return to Cape Canaveral. A lovely picture published by SpaceX shows the Dragon on its way to the Space Station while the Falcon rocket makes its way back to earth.