Who ordered the mangos?

[Treeden]

SpaceX Falcon rocket lifts off with ISS cargo

The third SpaceX launch is successful. Fresh fruit is on it's way to the ISS crew .... among other things of course!

Nice to see them doing well.

[The Sailor]

I heard there had been a problem?

Just found this link:

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/03/01/spacex-rocket-poised-for-flight/

Jim

[Treeden]

Hmm yes, I hope it's not too serious.

The launch was ok though. That's were they have been having problems. This one was clean as a whistle.

From Computerworld:

- After a successful liftoff of the SpaceX Dragon this morning, the company's engineers were working on a glitch in the thruster system of the spacecraft, which is on its way to a rendezvous with the International Space Station.

NASA reported this afternoon that three of the Dragon spacecraft's four thruster pods are not working. The problem is being caused by a malfunctioning propellant valve.

Engineers are working to get the three thrusters up and running. Once they get at least two more working, the spacecraft can begin a series of burns needed to rendezvous with the space station. The thruster pods enable maneuvering and altitude control.

Shortly after the unmanned Dragon reached orbit, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk reported on Twitter that there was a problem with the Dragon spacecraft's thruster pods, delaying the deployment of the craft's solar array, which powers it.

"Issue with Dragon thruster pods. System inhibiting three of four from initializing. About to command inhibit override," Musk tweeted. "Holding on solar array deployment until at least two thruster pods are active."

At approximately 11:50 a.m. ET, the Dragon's solar arrays were successfully deployed.

About to command inhibit override...

That must have made the engineers nervous!