SpaceX Launches Cargo Mission From Cape Canaveral
HAWTHORNE (CBSLA/AP) — SpaceX launched a cargo mission Monday to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral, just three days after successfully launching 10 communications satellites into orbit from Southern California's Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The Falcon rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Monday, hoisting a Dragon capsule full of food, experiments and other station goods for NASA.
The Dragon and its 6,000-pound shipment should reach the space station Wednesday. The station astronauts will use a robot arm to grab it.
It's the second trip to the orbiting lab for this particular Dragon, recycled following a visit two years ago. The Falcon's first-stage booster also flew before — last summer.
SpaceX has combined a recycled Dragon and a recycled Falcon once before. The company aims to reduce launch costs by reusing rocket parts.
The space station is currently home to astronauts from the U.S., Russia and Japan.
The Falcon 9 rocket was previously used last August, also to send a cargo ship to the International Space Station.
SpaceX has been recovering rockets for re-use to slash millions of dollars from the cost of space missions, but the company is not expected to try to recover the rocket after Monday's launch.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
