Thisstory was updated at 3:48 p.m. ET.
Arocket built by the private spaceflight company SpaceX performed an engine testtoday (Dec. 4), just days ahead of its planned launch to send a new commercialspace capsule on its maiden voyage next week.
The engines of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket ignited at 10:50 a.m. EST (1550GMT) for a brief 2-second test firing of the booster's first stage engines atthe Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Theresults of the so-called static fire test, performed while the rocket wassecured to its launch pad, are being analyzed and a preliminary review suggeststhat things went according to plan, SpaceX officials said.
"We willcontinue to review data, but today's static fire appears to be a success," SpaceXofficials said in a statement.
Thetest was part of final checkouts ahead of the Falcon 9 rocket's planned Dec. 7launch of SpaceX's firstDragonspace capsule– a gumdrop-shaped spacecraft designed to make round tripflights to low-Earth orbit.
SpaceXinitially attempted a static fire test earlier today at 9:30 a.m. EST (1430GMT), but aborted the test at the T-1.9 seconds mark due to low pressure in thegas generator of one of the rocket's nine Merlin engines. Another previousengine test on Friday (Dec. 3) was also aborted after one of the enginesexperiencedelevated chamber pressure.
TheHawthorne, Calif.-based SpaceX, short for Space Exploration Technologies, wasfounded bymillionaireElon Musk, co-founder of the PayPal online payment system and CEO of Teslaelectric car company.
Theengine test is a vital check for the Falcon 9 rocket before its scheduledlaunch next week. The rocket will carry SpaceX's Dragon space capsule intolow-Earth orbit for the spacecraft's first test flight. {Photosfrom first Falcon 9 rocket launch}
Thecompany's Dragon capsule will separate from the rocket's second stage and makemultiple orbits of the Earth during the test flight, demonstrating itsoperational communications, navigation and maneuvering abilities.
Thespaceship will then re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and land in the PacificOcean a few hours later. The full duration of the test flight is expected tolast approximately four hours, SpaceX officials have said.
Ifsuccessful, SpaceX will be the first commercial company to launch andre-entera spacecraft from low-Earth orbit.
TheDec. 7 launch window extends from 9:03 a.m. EST (1403 GMT) to 12:22 p.m. EST(1720 GMT). If needed, launch opportunities are also available on Dec. 8 andDec. 9 within the same window, NASA officials have said.
SpaceXhas a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to provide its Dragon spacecraft for cargoflights to the International Space Station following the retirement of theagency's space shuttle fleet. SpaceX plans to fly at least 12 unmanned missionsto deliver supplies to the space station with its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragoncapsule.
SpaceXalso hopes to win a contract to one day ferry astronauts to the station as well– though the Dragon capsule is not yet man-rated to carry human passengers intospace.
Nextweek's test flight will also be the first mission by any company under NASA'sCommercial Orbital Transportation (COTS) program, which is designed to advancethe development of private vehicles capable of carrying cargo and crew to theInternational Space Station.
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Youcan follow SPACE.com Staff Writer Denise Chow on Twitter@denisechow.
- Original Story:SpaceX Tests Private Rocket for Dec. 7 Space Capsule Launch
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