SpaceX says it’s close to launching rockets again six months after an accident.
Chief executive Elon Musk announced via Twitter on Thursday a rocket test-firing for next Wednesday in Florida. A satellite launch for Orbcomm could come three days later — Dec. 19th.
SpaceX has been stuck on Earth since June, when a broken strut doomed its Falcon rocket during liftoff. The accident left NASA without a viable U.S. supplier for the International Space Station. NASA’s other commercial shipper, Orbital ATK, finally made a delivery Wednesday, but had to use another company’s rocket.
SpaceX hopes to resume supply runs next month.
In the meantime, SpaceX will try again to land its first-stage booster, possibly back at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Barge landing attempts have failed.
Filed Under: Aerospace + defense