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SpaceX Set For Saturday Launch To Space Station

By  //  January 8, 2015

spacecraft is targeted for 4:47 a.m. Saturday

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NASA.gov – SpaceX has chosen Saturday, Jan. 10 to launch its next commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station.

Launch of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft is targeted for 4:47 a.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The previous launch attempt on Tuesday was halted with one minute, 21 seconds left on the countdown clock.

Engineers observed drift on one of two thrust vector control actuators for the Falcon 9’s second stage and stopped the countdown.

Dragon is the only operational spacecraft capable of returning a significant amount of supplies back to Earth, including experiments.

Drone spaceport ship heads to its hold position in the Atlantic to prepare for a rocket landing. (SpaceX image)
SpaceX is gearing up for its next big launch. According to Elon Musk, SpaceX’s drone spaceport ship, above, has left the dock and headed to its hold position in the Atlantic Ocean. On Tuesday, the company will launch its Falcon 9 rocket and attempt to land it on the 30,000 square-foot ship, with engineers attempting a landing accuracy of 10 meters on each side. SpaceX is the first company to attempt a rocket landing of this scope, although it has never successfully carried one out. (SpaceX image)

SpaceX CRS-5 is the fifth of 12 SpaceX flights NASA has contracted with the company to resupply the space station. It will be the sixth trip by a Dragon spacecraft to the station.

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The Dragon cargo spacecraft atop the Falcon 9 is loaded with more than 3,700 pounds of scientific experiments, technology demonstrations and supplies, including critical materials to support 256 science and research investigations that will take place on the station during ISS Expeditions 42 and 43.