Liftoff for SpaceX-4
The private spaceflight company SpaceX launched its fourth cargo delivery mission for NASA on Sept. 21, 2014 with its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon space capsule. The SpaceX-4 flight will deliver mice, major new experiment gear and the first 3D printer in space on the flight. See photos of the mission and its experiments in this Space.com gallery.
Here: The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket streaks toward space from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in this spectacular long-exposure view of the company's successful Dragon cargo ship launch toward the International Space Station for NASA on Sept. 21, 2014.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches 4th Dragon Cargo Flight
Liftoff for SpaceX's Dragon cargo ship occurred at 1:52 a.m. EDT (0552 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, sending the Dragon cargo ship headed for a Sept. 23 arrival at the International Space Station. Robert Pearlman of collectSPACE.com captured this amazing view of the launch.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Lights Up the Night
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lights up the night sky after launching the fourth commercial Dragon cargo mission toward the International Space Station for NASA from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 1:52 a.m. EDT (0552 GMT) on Sept. 21, 2014. The spacecraft is carrying about 2.4 tons of cargo for NASA.
Dragon Spacecraft Separation: SpaceX-4
An unmanned SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule is seen just after separating from its Falcon 9 rocket in a camera view captured just after a successful launch into orbit from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Sept. 21, 2014. The Dragon spacecraft is carrying about 2.4 tons of supplies to the International Space Station for NASA and will return 1.5 tons of material back to Earth.
SpaceX-4 Dragon Launch: US Flag
A U.S. flag at NASA's Press Site flies during the liftoff from American soil of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Sept. 21, 2014. The rocket launched SpaceX's fourth unmanned Dragon cargo mission to the International Space Station for NASA.
SpaceX-4 Mission Control in California
In the control center at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, managers and engineers monitor progress of the countdown for the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida for the SpaceX CRS-4 mission to the International Space Station on Sept. 21, 2014.
Dragon takes flight
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carried its Dragon capsule into space in a pre-dawn launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Sunday, Sept. 21.
SpaceX-4 Launch Control Room
SpaceX and NASA managers and engineers in a SpaceX Launch Control room at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station follow the progress of a Falcon 9 rocket that successfully launched the fourth unmanned Dragon cargo ship toward the International Space Station for NASA on Sept. 21, 2014.
Liftoff
The launch, originally schedule for Saturday, Sept. 20, was postponed a day because of bad weather.
SpaceX CRS-4 Mission Patch
The mission logo for SpaceX's fourth cargo flight to the International Space Station for NASA.
SpaceX Dragon and Falcon 9: SpaceX-4
An unmanned Dragon spacecraft and its Falcon 9 rocket stand ready to launch toward the International Space Station to deliver NASA cargo on Sept. 19, 2014. Thick clouds and rainy weather delayed the planned early-morning launch on Saturday, Sept. 20, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
