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SpaceX rocket launches inflatable room to the ISS SpaceX reusable rocket lands on ocean platform
(about 14 hours later)
An inflatable habitat has launched into space, atop a private SpaceX rocket contracted by Nasa. The US aerospace company SpaceX has successfully landed a resusable rocket on an ocean platform, after four previous attempts failed.
The inflatable room will attach to the International Space Station (ISS) for a two-year test and become the first such habitat to hold humans in orbit. Mission controllers cheered as the Falcon 9 rocket remained upright on the platform off Florida.
In a major success for SpaceX, the reusable main stage booster of its rocket successfully landed on an ocean platform for the first time. It was returning from delivering an inflatable habitat into space for Nasa.
Staff at SpaceX mission control at California cheered as the news came in. The inflatable room will attach to the International Space Station (ISS) for a two-year test and become the first such habitat to for humans in orbit.
The inflatable habitat was built by Nevada company Bigelow Aerospace and is intended to pave the way towards the use of such rooms for long space trips, including to Mars. It is due to reach the ISS around 09:00 GMT on Sunday along with other freight aboard the Dragon capsule.
Its launch is the first Nasa cargo run for SpaceX since its June 2015 mishap, when an unmanned cargo rocket exploded soon after take-off. Built by Nevada company Bigelow Aerospace, the habitat is intended to pave the way towards the use of such rooms for long space trips, including to Mars.
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off on schedule at 16:43 local time (20:43 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. 'Really excited'
A capsule, containing the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (Beam) alongside other supplies for the ISS and its crew of six, is scheduled to dock at the Space Station on Sunday morning, starting at around 09:30 GMT. Nasa had not attempted a cargo run with SpaceX since a June 2015 mishap, when an unmanned cargo rocket exploded soon after take-off.
After putting the Dragon capsule into orbit, the main-stage booster of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket separated and landed on a floating platform, known as a drone ship, off the coast of Florida. The Falcon 9 lifted off on schedule at 16:43 local time (20:43 GMT) on Friday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
This accomplishment, attempted four times previously without success, is part of the firm's effort to kick off a new era of reusable rockets and affordable private space travel. After putting the Dragon capsule into orbit, the main-stage booster of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket separated and landed on the floating platform, known as a drone ship.
Despite the difficulties with its ocean platform configuration, SpaceX - run by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk - did successfully land a Falcon 9 on the ground, vertically, last December. "The rocket landed instead of putting a hole in the ship - or tipping over - so we're really excited about that," SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk told reporters in Florida.
Meanwhile, the launch is a huge moment for Bigelow Aerospace, the project of real estate billionaire Robert Bigelow. At the company's mission control centre in Hawthorne, California, employees cheered wildly, jumping up and down and chanting "USA, USA, USA!"
The company has launched prototype expandable habitats before, but none have been occupied by humans. SpaceX is seeking to kick off a new era of reusable rockets and affordable private space travel.
Bigelow Aerospace, the project of real estate billionaire Robert Bigelow, launched prototype expandable habitats before but none have been occupied by humans.
This 1,400kg contraption, once attached and inflated in about a month's time, will be visited periodically by ISS personnel.This 1,400kg contraption, once attached and inflated in about a month's time, will be visited periodically by ISS personnel.
Made of many layers of fabric and covered with a flexible Kevlar-like material, the Beam will be tested to see how well it stands up to fluctuating temperatures and high levels of radiation.Made of many layers of fabric and covered with a flexible Kevlar-like material, the Beam will be tested to see how well it stands up to fluctuating temperatures and high levels of radiation.