After months of being in hiatus, SpaceX has become active again. Since its recent resumption, SpaceX has made two launches. Now a SpaceX rocket launches from a historic NASA pad.
SpaceX has launched its Falcon 9 rocket from a historic NASA pad last Sunday. The Falcon 9 rocket launched from NASA Launch Complex 39A. This has been the same pad where some of the famous Apollo missions and space shuttle launches were made.
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the pad at 9:39 a.m. EST. For the launch, the Falcon 9 carried a Dragon cargo capsule for the International Space Station (ISS). Launch has largely been successful, though an earlier attempt last Saturday has been cancelled due to faulty readings from the second stage booster.
Aside from a successful launch, it also saw the safe return of the rocket's first stage booster. The booster returned and landed a few miles from the launch site. It just took eight minutes since its launch for the booster to return and make a landing.
The second stage of the rocket continued on to its main objective. After 11 minutes from liftoff, the Dragon capsule has been deployed. The capsule made its journey to the ISS and would take two days for it to reach it, according to Space.com.
SpaceX has been used to supply the ISS in the past, and the current mission is no different from it. For the current mission, the Dragon capsule has carried science equipment to the space station. What has been noted of the launch is that it has the booster return back to Earth, a feat that has been done only twice before, as Fox News reports.
SpaceX will continue to supply the ISS. It has also leased the pad for 20 years. From there, SpaceX hopes to have its first manned mission flights by next year. SpaceX is noted for its use of reusable rocket boosters, which would lower the cost of space flight.
SpaceX has continued with its space program after months of inactivity. A SpaceX rocket launches from a historic NASA pad. A six-legged robot has been made that runs fast.
