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"Three, two, one and launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, as NASAturns to the private sector to resupply the International SpaceStation," said NASA commentator George Diller, as the spacecraftblasted off at 3:44 am (0744 GMT). The test flight -- which is set to include a fly-by and berthingwith the station in the coming days -- aims to show that privateindustry can restore US access to the ISS after NASA retired itsspace shuttle fleet last year. No humans are traveling aboard the Dragon, but six astronauts arealready at the $100-billion space lab to help the capsule latch on,to unload supplies and then restock the capsule with cargo to takeback to Earth. California-based SpaceX, owned by billionaire Internet entrepreneurElon Musk, is the first of several US competitors to try sendingspacecraft to the ISS with the goal of restoring US access to spacefor human travelers by 2015. The company successfully test-launched its Falcon 9 rocket in June2010, then made history with its Dragon launch in December of thatyear, becoming the first commercial outfit to send a spacecraftinto orbit and back. Its reusable Dragon capsule has been built to carry both cargo andup to seven crew members. Until now, only the space agencies of Russia, Japan and Europe havebeen able to send supply ships to the ISS. The three-decade US shuttle program, which ferried astronauts andcargo to the research outpost, ended for good in 2011, leavingRussia as the sole taxi to the ISS until private industry comes upwith a replacement. The Saturday launch attempt was scrubbed at the last second whencomputers detected high pressure in the central engine of theFalcon 9. SpaceX engineers discovered the root cause was a faulty check valveand repaired it the same day. The US space agency has given SpaceX about $390 million so far ofthe total $680 million that the company has spent on cargodevelopment. SpaceX has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA forfuture supply missions. Orbital Sciences Corporation is working on its own supply ship,with a preliminary launch scheduled for later this year, and has a$1.9 billion contract with NASA. SpaceX also gets funding from NASA for a separate effort to developa commercial crew vehicle for carrying astronauts to space, alongwith competitors Blue Origin, Boeing and Sierra Nevada. In a few years' time, SpaceX says it will be able to undercut thehefty price NASA pays Russia for US astronauts to get a seat aboardthe Soyuz space capsule -- around $63 million a ticket. On May 24, the spacecraft's sensors and flight systems are toundergo a series of tests to see if the craft is ready to berthwith the space station, including a complicated fly-under at adistance of about 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers). If NASA gives the green light, the Dragon will then approach theISS on May 25 in an attempt to berth with the station. The astronauts on board the ISS will maneuver the station's roboticarm to help capture the capsule and attach it to the orbitingresearch outpost. The hatch of the Dragon is set to open on May 26 for unloading andrestocking. On May 31, the Dragon is to detach from the station andmake a safe landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southernCalifornia. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as China Tempered Safety Glass , Technical Data Manufacturer for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Toughened Safety Glass.
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