National News

SpaceX working to fix Dragon capsule's thrusters

Posted: 03/01/13 at 5:40 am    Updated: 03/01/13 at 12:24 pm
Tags: SpaceX   rocket   space station     

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- Flight controllers are making good progress fixing a problem with the orbiting Dragon capsule.

Trouble with the spacecraft's thrusters cropped up shortly after the morning liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Flight controllers for the private SpaceX company have partly resolved the problem. The unmanned capsule is loaded with supplies for the International Space Station.

The company's billionaire founder Elon Musk reported via Twitter on Friday that the two solar panels have been deployed. The operation was delayed nearly two hours because of the glitch.

The launch of the SpaceX Falcon rocket went well. But nine minutes into the flight, only one of four sets of maneuvering thrusters were working. Flight controllers are trying to override the system.

NASA says it's still expecting a Saturday morning arrival at the space station.

(Copyright (c) 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Latest National Videos