Private Rocket Blasts Off For Space Station - FOX44 - Burlington / Plattsburgh News, Weather & Sports

Private Rocket Blasts Off For Space Station

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -

A commercial rocket has blasted off with a load of supplies for the International Space Station.

The SpaceX company's Falcon 9 rocket took flight at 3:44 a.m. Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, opening a new era of spaceflight. It carried a capsule named Dragon that is packed with 1,000 pounds of space station provisions.

This is the first time a private business has launched a vessel to the space station. That's something only major governments have done - until now.

The real test comes Thursday when the Dragon gets close to the space station. It will undergo practice maneuvers from more than a mile out. If all goes well, the docking will occur Friday.

NASA and SpaceX stress that this is a demonstration flight.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.

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