SpaceX Makes Historic Launch
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CAPE CANAVERAL (CBSMiami) - To sound of roaring engines and a cheering crowd, a Falcon 9 rocket shot through the clouds, starting its payload on a three-day mission to the International Space Station.
The historic launch marked the first time a private space company, Elon Musk's SpaceX, lifted off from Launch Pad 39A, NASA's gateway to space for the Apollo and space shuttle missions.
Shortly after the launch, SpaceX stuck the landing. It successfully brought the booster rocket back for just the third time. It can now be reused.
The Dragon spacecraft loaded with more than two tons of supplies, which the rocker propelled into space, is expected to reach the orbiting station on Wednesday.
SpaceX has bigger plans. They plan to ferry not just supplies, but astronauts to the space station, perhaps as early as next year.
NASA has high hopes that SpaceX, as well as Boeing, will be able to launch astronauts to and from the space station. The wild card in all of this is what the Trump administration plans for NASA.
There may not be enough money in the budget to support both of these companies but NASA is certainly hoping at least one of them ends up perfecting their spacecraft because otherwise, the agency is going to be forced to rely on the Russians indefinitely.
