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SpaceX's Falcon rocket successfully lifted off after technical glitch delayed launch

SpaceX rocket launch
SpaceX rocket launch

NASA launch blog

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off from a NASA launchpad that was once used by Apollo astronauts on Sunday, February 19.

The launch occurred at 9:39 a.m. EST (2:39 p.m. GMT) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, after being delayed one day due to a technical glitch.

If you missed the big moment on Sunday, you can watch NASA's launch replays below:

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The rocket's first stage returned to land safely, NASA said on its blog, and the Dragon spacecraft is safely in orbit headed for the International Space Station, or ISS. The Dragon capsule is loaded with about 5,500 pounds (2,500 kilograms) of supplies and science experiments.

The rocket was originally scheduled for launch on Saturday, February 18, but it was delayed just seconds before liftoff due to an issue with the thrust vector control, or TVC, a device that helps maintain the rocket's speed and direction.

"All systems go, except the movement trace of an upper stage engine steering hydraulic piston was slightly odd. Standing down to investigate," serial entrepreneur Elon Musk, who owns and operates SpaceX, tweeted on Saturday in response to the delay.

NASA's launchpad 39A is iconic because it was once used to send astronauts to the moon and for future space shuttle missions. The launch complex had to be reconfigured for SpaceX's commercial rocket.

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