SpaceX rocket blasts off for space station cargo run

A rocket built by Space Exploration Technologies blasted off on Friday carrying a capsule filled with food, supplies and science experiments for the International Space Station.    

The 157-foot (48-meter) tall Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo ship lifted off at 10:10 a.m. EST (1510 GMT) from the company's leased launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, just south of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.        

The Dragon capsule, which carries more than 2,300 pounds (1,043 kg) of science equipment, spare parts, food and supplies, is scheduled to reach the station Saturday morning.    

Shortly after reaching orbit, however, engineers were troubleshooting a problem with three of the capsule's four thruster pods, which are needed to maneuver in orbit.    

The cargo run is the second of 12 missions for privately owned SpaceX under a $1.6 billion NASA contract.    

Following a successful test flight to the space station in May 2012, SpaceX conducted its first supply run to the orbital outpost in October.

During launch of that mission, one of the Falcon's nine engines shut down early, but the other motors compensated for the power shortfall.


REUTERS