NASA chief to see history-making SpaceX capsule

[June 13, 2012]  McGREGOR, Texas (AP) -- NASA's administrator is to visit the history-making Dragon spacecraft at a Texas rocket factory.

Last month the world's first commercial supply ship returned with 1,400 pounds of old equipment from the International Space Station.

The California-based SpaceX is the first private business to send a cargo ship to the space station.

On Wednesday, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk will see the spacecraft at the company's rocket factory in McGregor, about 150 miles southwest of Dallas.

The unmanned cargo ship splashed down May 31 into the Pacific Ocean, capping off a nine-day test flight.

It was the first time since the space shuttles stopped flying last summer that NASA got back a big load from the space station. SpaceX hopes to launch another capsule in September.

[Associated Press]

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