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3rd LD Writethru: SpaceX launches cargo mission, rocket recovery test seems failed

Xinhua, January 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

After two delays, private U.S. firm SpaceX launched its fifth cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS) early Saturday morning, but its rocket recovery test seemed to have failed.

The mission has generated a lot of interest because SpaceX was trying to realize a precise landing of the rocket's first stage on a floating ocean platform for the first time.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has just tweeted that the rocket made it to the platform but "landed hard."

"Close, but no cigar this time," he said, "Ship itself is fine. Some of the support equipment on the deck will need to be replaced."

"Didn't get good landing/impact video. Pitch dark and foggy. Will piece it together from telemetry and ... actual pieces," he stated.

The unmanned Dragon cargo ship lifted off at 4:47 a.m. EDT (0947 GMT) aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, NASA TV showed.

The spacecraft carried about 2.5 tons of supplies and payloads, including materials to support 256 science and research investigations. Endi