April 18, 2014 4:12 PM EDT
S paceX launched its cargo mission Friday at 3:25 p.m. EDT afternoon to supply innovative equipment to the International Space Station from the Launch Complex at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The Dragon 9 rocket launched by the privately-owned company (headed by Tesla’s Elon Musk) is carrying food, science experiments and a set of legs for Robonaut 2, a humanoid NASA robot on the space station. Its Falcon spacecraft is carrying a total of 5,000 pounds of supplies.
PHOTOS: See SpaceX's Biggest Milestones SpaceX embarked on its first deep space mission with the launch of this Falcon 9 rocket on Feb. 11, 2015 at Cape Canaveral, Fla., after two previous failed attempts. Onboard is the Deep Space Climate Observatory, which will head 1 million miles from Earth to watch for incoming geomagnetic storms that could trigger power outages on our planet. John Raoux—AP On May 29, 2014, SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk (not pictured) unveiled the company's first manned spacecraft, Dragon V2, at a press conference in Hawthorne, Calif., on May 29, 2014. SpaceX A rocket carrying the SpaceX Dragon ship lifts off from launch complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla. on April 18, 2014. John Raoux—AP Falcon 9 awaits its upcoming launch in SpaceX's hangar with landing legs attached on March 12, 2014. SpaceX SpaceX's Falcon 9 launches with Thailand’s Thaicom 6 satellite aboard, on Jan. 6, 2014 from Cape Canaveral SpaceX SpaceX's Falcon 9 launches from Cape Canaveral, on Nov. 28, 2013. SpaceX SpaceX's Falcon 9 rolls out of the hangar on Nov. 28, 2013. SpaceX A Falcon 9 rocket carrying a small science satellite for Canada is launched from a newly refurbished launch pad in Vandenberg Air Force Station in California, on Sept. 29, 2013. Gene Blevins—Reuters SpaceX's reusable rocket prototype, Grasshopper, completes a 1,066-ft. (325 meter) hop on June 14, 2013 before landing back on the pad. SpaceX A SpaceX component preparing for testing in the world's largest vacuum chamber at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. SpaceX SpaceX's Dragon on the recovery boat on April 13, 2013. NASA SpaceX's Dragon is grappled by the International Space Station on April 13, 2013. NASA SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket leaves the hangar at Cape Canaveral, Fla., on March 8, 2013. SpaceX Nine Merlin engines for the inaugural Falcon 9 flight, ready to be installed in the booster, on March 8, 2013. SpaceX From left: NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk view the Dragon capsule that returned to Earth on May 31, 2012 following the first successful mission by a private company to carry supplies to the International Space Station, at the SpaceX facility in McGregor, Texas, on June 13, 2012. Bill Ingalls—NASA/Reuters SpaceX's unmanned Dragon capsule floats in the Pacific Ocean off of Baja California on May 31, 2012. SpaceX/Reuters SpaceX's Dragon commercial cargo craft is berthed to the International Space Station on May 25, 2012. NASA/Reuters A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft blasts off from Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, on May 22, 2012. Red Huber—MCT/Getty Images The SpaceX Falcon 9 test rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral on May 22, 2012. Pierre Ducharme—Reuters SpaceX'S Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft lift off from Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral, on Dec. 8, 2010. NASA—Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images From left: President Barack Obama and Head of SpaceX Elon Musk tour Cape Canaveral, on April 15, 2010. Jim Young—Reuters On April 22, 2008, Musk's company landed NASA's launch services contract for Falcon 1 and 9 rockets. Here, the SpaceX factory in Los Angeles is shown on Nov. 21, 2008. Dan Tuffs—Getty Images More Must-Reads from TIME Caitlin Clark Is TIME's 2024 Athlete of the Year Where Trump 2.0 Will Differ From 1.0 Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You? The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024 Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024 Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision