SpaceX Primes Dragon Capsule for Space Station Mission (Photos)

Falcon 9 Rocket Vertical on Launch Pad

SpaceX

A night before its launch on Friday (March 1), engineers moved the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket into the vertical position on its launch pad at Port Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Rolls Out: CRS-2

SpaceX, Ben Cooper

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule roll out from the hangar for the CRS-2 launch to the International Space Station to deliver NASA cargo in March 2013.

SpaceX and NASA Mission Patches

NASA/SpaceX

Both SpaceX (left) and NASA have designed mission patches for the second Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) flight to the International Space Station.

SpaceX's Dragon Spacecraft With Solar Array Fairings in Hangar

NASA/Kim Shiflett

The Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, Dragon spacecraft with solar array fairings attached, stands inside a processing hangar at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The spacecraft will launch on the upcoming SpaceX CRS-2 mission. Image released Jan. 15, 2013.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Static Fire Test

SpaceX

On Feb. 25, Falcon 9 and Dragon underwent a successful static fire in preparation for launch to the International Space Station. Engineers ran through all countdown processes as if it were launch day, ending with all nine engines on the rocket firing for nearly two seconds.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Mated for Launch: CRS-2

SpaceX

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft are mated in the hangar, ready for launch to the International Space Station.

Inside the SpaceX Falcon Hangar

NASA/Jim Grossmann

Inside the SpaceX Falcon Hangar at Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket is placed in a workstand for prelaunch processing. Image released Nov. 12, 2012.

Placing the Solar Array Fairing

NASA/Kim Shiflett

Workers guide a solar array fairing into place inside the processing hangar used by Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. This image was released Jan. 12, 2013.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Payload Fairing

NASA/Kim Shiflett

The spacecraft will launch on the upcoming SpaceX CRS-2 mission. The flight will be the second commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station by SpaceX. This image was released Jan. 14, 2013.

Preparing the Solar Array Fairing

NASA/Kim Shiflett

Workers prepare solar array fairings at the processing hangar used by Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. This image was released Jan. 12, 2013.

Workers Inspect a Solar Array

NASA/Kim Shiflett

Workers inspect a solar array fairing at the processing hangar used by Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. This image was released Jan. 12, 2013.

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