NASA Delays Next SpaceX Rocket Launch
Sunday, November 25, 2012
By: Tom Parkinson

November 25, 2012 | WMFE- NASA managers say the next launch of a Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station will be postponed from January until March.

The commercial space company, California-based SpaceX, has a $1.6 billion dollar contract with NASA to launch 12 flights to the ISS.

It successfully sent a cargo capsule to the space station and back in October.

Engineers say they don’t want to attempt a second launch until they determine why one of the rocket’s nine engines failed about a minute after lift-off on October 7th.

The Falcon 9 successfully lifted the Dragon capsule with 2000 pounds of supplies into orbit and on to the ISS despite the engine shutdown. It returned on October 28th.

NASA officials say the space station is well stocked with supplies and the delay will not affect operations at the orbiting laboratory.

The second Falcon 9 launch is now tentatively set for March 1st.