Matthew Nelson
SpaceX conducted a static fire test for the Falcon 9 rocket’s nine Merlin engines and is on track for the rocket’s rescheduled launch on Wednesday as part of the company’s cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station, Spaceflight Now said Friday.
The company utilized restraints to hold the launcher as it fired the engines for several seconds during the test.
SpaceX’s Dragon cargo capsule will take off aboard the Falcon 9 and deliver cargo, payload and food to ISS. Dragon will also carry a docking adapter that will work to assist Boeing’s Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsules to attach to the laboratory.
The launch represents SpaceX’s third deployment of the Dragon capsule and the 18th resupply mission under the $3B Commercial Resupply Services-1 contract with NASA.
