WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – A Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Space X unmanned Dragon spacecraft blasted off from Cape Canaveral with supplies and new experiments for the International Space Station (ISS), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said in a press release on Wednesday.
“The… Dragon spacecraft lifted off at 1:16 pm EST on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida,” the release said.
NASA explained that Dragon’s 5,600 pound payload included the Robotic Refueling Mission-3 for the first transfer and long-term storage of liquid methane in micro-gravity — a key step to develop space refueling capabilities for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
The Falcon booster’s s first stage missed the landing zone after being jettisoned and ended up in the water after a grid fin malfunctioned, Space X said via Twitter.
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Sourse: sputniknews.com
