14 DAY TRIAL // Officials at NASA and Hawthorne, California-based Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) announce that the launch date for the unmanned Dragon space capsule has been moved to May 19. They add that some issues related to the spacecraft and its rocket are still unresolved.
Dragon will take off aboard a SpaceX-built Falcon 9 medium-lift delivery system, which will launch from the Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in Florida.
“After additional reviews and discussions between the SpaceX and NASA teams, we are in a position to proceed toward this important launch. […] There are a few remaining open items but we are ready to support SpaceX for its new launch date of May 19,” NASA's William Gerstenmaier said.
Dragon is the first private spacecraft to attempt a docking with the International Space Station. The vehicle was developed under a $1.6 billion Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contract between SpaceX and NASA.