[Satellite TODAY 03-01-13] SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket passed an important test on Friday, when it successfully carried the company’s unmanned Dragon capsule into orbit. But an anomaly on the capsule’s maneuvering thrusters was detected nine minutes into the flight – only one of four sets of thrusters were working, SpaceX Founder, CEO and CTO Elon Musk reported Mar. 1.
The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo ship lifted off at 10:10 a.m. EST from the company’s leased launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The capsule was filled with food, supplies and science experiments for the International Space Station (ISS), including fresh fruit for the station residents, 640 seeds of a flowering weed used for research, mouse stems cells, protein crystals, astronaut meals and clothing, trash bags, air-purifying devices, computer parts and other gear.
“Beautiful liftoff. Probably seen more than 75 in my life, but it just never gets old,” NASA’s Associate Administrator Lori Garver said on Twitter.
SpaceX flight controllers said they were trying to override the Dragon system and activate at least one additional booster needed to carry the Dragon to its intended orbit. This is SpaceX’s first issue with the Dragon spacecraft while in orbit. The company launched two Dragon capsules last year to the space station with no incident.
SpaceX’s Dragon flights to the ISS are part of its $1.6 billion contract with NASA to restock the station. The U.S. space agency hopes the work will develop into using SpaceX to send manned missions into orbit in a few years. The capsule was scheduled to arrive at the ISS Saturday morning. ISS astronauts will use robot arm to draw the Dragon in and dock it to the station.
“Using commercial launch providers is more efficient for [NASA], especially after the space shuttles were retired in 2011, and is part of a long-term plan to reduce expenses on low-Earth orbit missions and invest more in deep-space missions,” said Garver. “
SpaceX’s first ISS Dragon delivery for NASA happened last October. SpaceX plans to launch its next Dragon to the station in late fall. While issues with the Dragon capsule may make headlines and stir conversation about the company’s work with NASA, the most important thing for SpaceX’s future commercial satellite customers was the fact that the company can claim another successful Falcon 9 launch as part of its resume.