Private Firm Launches First Private Vessel to Dock with ISS - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

Private Firm Launches First Private Vessel to Dock with ISS

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Space-X has launched the first private vessel headed to the International Space Station.

The Falcon 9 rocket will carry the Dragon capsule and 1,000 pounds of food and supplies.  If all goes according to plan, the capsule will reach the space station on Thursday.  It will perform maneuvers and dock with the ISS on Friday.  NASA is trying to find a cost effective replacement for the space shuttle program which ended last August.

Space-X is one of five U.S. firms competing for NASA contracts to take supplies and astronauts into outer space.