The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the fifth Dragon spacecraft on the third operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight was conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA.
Falcon 9 v1.1 is a significantly redesigned version of the its predecessor, including a higher payload capacity. This version arranges the engines in a structural form SpaceX calls an Octaweb.
See DetailsB1006 performed an experimental water landing after launch.
Core will be expended.First launch of the redesigned Dragon: same outer mold line with the avionics and cargo racks redesigned to supply substantially more electric power to powered cargo devices, including additional cargo freezers (GLACIER, MERLIN) for transporting critical science payloads. Launch rescheduled for 18 April due to a helium leak.
Dragon 1 DetailsSpace Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from many pads, on the East Coast of the US they operate from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and historic LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. They also operate from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.
INFO WIKI"It looked like a giant smoke monster."