After Accident, Elon Musk's SpaceX May Resume Launches Soon
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (CBS / AP) -- SpaceX says it's close to launching rockets again six months after an accident.
Chief executive Elon Musk announced via Twitter on Thursday a rocket test-firing for next Wednesday in Florida. A satellite launch for Orbcomm could come three days later -- Dec. 19th.
Aiming for Falcon rocket static fire at Cape Canaveral on the 16th and launch about three days later
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 10, 2015
SpaceX has been stuck on Earth since June, when a broken strut doomed its Falcon rocket during liftoff. The accident left NASA without a viable U.S. supplier for the International Space Station. NASA's other commercial shipper, Orbital ATK, finally made a delivery Wednesday, but had to use another company's rocket.
SpaceX hopes to resume supply runs next month.
In the meantime, SpaceX will try again to land its first-stage booster, possibly back at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Barge landing attempts have failed.
Musk is also the CEO of Bay Area-based electric car company Tesla Motors.
TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.