CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA’s historic moonshot pad is back in business.
A SpaceX Falcon rocket blasted off Sunday morning from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A. It’s carrying a load of supplies for the International Space Station.
Astronauts flew to the moon from this very spot nearly a half-century ago. The pad was last used for NASA’s final shuttle mission nearly six years ago.
This is SpaceX’s first launch from Florida since a rocket explosion last summer. As an extra treat for spectators, SpaceX aims to land the booster rocket back at Cape Canaveral following liftoff. That recycling feat has been accomplished only twice before.
SpaceX is leasing the pad from NASA for 20 years. The company hopes to launch U.S. astronauts from there next year.
READ MORE: SpaceX aborts rocket launch from NASA’s historic moon pad
Saturday’s launch attempt was foiled by last-minute rocket concerns. SpaceX chief Elon Musk personally called it off. He says he didn’t want to risk anything going wrong.
This is SpaceX’s first launch from Florida since a rocket explosion last September
WATCH: A SpaceX Dragon craft made a successful launch on February 19 carrying supplies to the International Space Station
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