spacetoday.net: SpaceX completes Falcon static fire test

Posted: Sun, Dec 5, 2010, 9:56 AM ET (1456 GMT)
Falcon 9 engine test before 2nd launch (SpaceX)

SpaceX carried out a static fire test of the main engines of its Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday, clearing the way for Tuesday's scheduled launch of a cargo spacecraft. The rocket fired the nine engines on its first stage for about two seconds on the pad at Cape Canaveral Saturday morning to confirm that all engines were operating properly. A similar test the previous day was aborted because of high chamber pressure in one of the engines; a second attempt earlier Saturday was also aborted because of a sensor reading on one engine. The Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch Tuesday morning and place the Dragon cargo spacecraft into orbit. Dragon will remain in orbit for several hours to check out systems before reentering and splashing down off the California coast. The launch is the first of three under SpaceX's COTS award with NASA to develop systems to transport cargo to and from the International Space Station.