Elon Musk is a happy camper. His orbital delivery firm SpaceX has pulled off a successful launch of its third resupply mission to the International Space Station.





The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral on schedule at 12:35pm PDT. It is carrying 5,000 pounds of supplies for the ISS. It has deployed its solar panels and is now on course to dock with the ISS in two days.

The missions cargo includes: a replacement space suit for one that malfunctioned and almost cost the life of astronaut Luca Parmitano; a pair of legs for the space station's artificial inhabitant Robonaut 2; as well as perishable supplies, new hardware, and some science experiments.

If all goes well, Space X will have completed a quarter of its contracted 12 deliveries to the ISS. NASA is paying the firm $1.6bn.

Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX. said: "SpaceX is the world's fastest growing launch services provider. With nearly 50 missions on manifest, SpaceX will maximize the use of pad 39A to the benefit of both the commercial launch industry as well as the American taxpayer."