SpaceX rockets supplies, research to ISS from Cape Canaveral for CRS-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — 10:45 A.M. Update:

Hundreds of pounds of supplies are headed to the International Space Station, after a successful rocket launch from the Space Coast early Saturday.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket went up just before 3 a.m., much to the excitement of the crowds that came out to watch.

People were excited as they gathered around Jetty Park to see SpaceX for its third attempt this week to launch the rocket.

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The dragon is carrying 54,000 pounds of equipment and experiments to the ISS - including NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory. OCO-3 will measure and map carbon dioxide from space.

Moments after liftoff a booster was seen firing it’s rockets again right before landing aboard SpaceX's drone ship, Of Course I Still Love You.

For this launch, the vessel was staged offshore, closer than usual, to avoid interfering  with a location at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station that was the scene of a static fire test mishap that destroyed a Crew Dragon spacecraft during a test..

The mission, CRS-17, was scrubbed earlier this week after an electrical problem on board the drone ship, according to SpaceX officials.

Spacex tweated that teams were addressing a ground-side helium leak for another earlier launch attempt.

But despite the hiccups, people said their mission to watch the launch, was a success.

"I think it's awesome,” said Leonard Conn. “We've been wanting to see one all of our lives. And we just happened to be here at the right time."

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is expected to arrive to the ISS on Monday.

6:45 A.M. Friday, Update: The SpaceX Falcon rocket launch scheduled for 3:11 a.m. Friday was scrubbed and pushed back until Saturday due to an electrical issue.

The company said it had to push the launch back due to an electrical issue on the drone ship where the booster rocket will land.

Before the launch on Saturday, which is set for 2:48 a.m., SpaceX also said it will fix a helium leak on the ground.

Orginal Story: The day before its next scheduled launch, SpaceX has confirmed that its crew capsule was destroyed in ground testing two weeks ago.

A company vice president said Thursday it is too soon to know what went wrong during the April 20 test or whether the capsule's March space flight contributed to the failure.

Flames engulfed the capsule a half-second before the launch-abort thrusters were to fire. SpaceX still cannot access the test stand at Cape Canaveral because of toxic fuel contamination.

Vice president Hans Koenigsmann said the cargo version of the Dragon capsule, meanwhile, is safe to fly to the International Space Station.

SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon rocket with station supplies at 3:11 a.m. Friday. The flight was delayed by a power problem that occurred at the station Monday and was fixed Thursday.

Channel 9 caught up with some who were looking for the best place to watch the launch.

"For me, to actually be here and feel it as well as see it and hear it, that's going to be the highlight," said Paul Whiting, who vacationed from England to see the launch.

If the launch gets delayed, the next attempt will be for Saturday at 2:48 a.m.

Associated Press