International Space Station, opening a new era of dollar-driven spaceflight.

The SpaceX company made history as its Falcon 9 rocket rose from its seaside launch

pad and pierced the pre-dawn sky, aiming for a rendezvous later this week with the

space station. The rocket Mont blanc Ingrid Bergman carried into orbit a capsule named Dragon that is packed

with 1,000 pounds of space station provisions.

It is the first time a private company has launched a vessel to the space station.

That’s something only major governments have done — until the present test flight.

Launch controllers applauded when the Dragon reached orbit 9 minutes into the

flight.

This time, the Falcon’s nine engines kept firing all the way throughMont blanc Rollerball Pens liftoff. On

Saturday, flight computers aborted the launch with a half-second remaining in the

countdown; a bad engine valve was replaced.

The real test comes Thursday when the Dragon reaches the vicinity of the space

station. It will undergo practice maneuvers from more than a mile out. If all goes

well, the docking will occur Friday.

The space station was zooming discount Mont blanc Pens over the North Atlantic, just east of Newfoundland,

when the Falcon took flight.

NASA is looking to the private sector to take over orbital trips in this post-

shuttle period; several U.S. companies are vying for the opportunity. The goal is to

get American astronauts launching again from U.S. soil. SpaceX officials say that

could happen in as little as three years, possibly four.

Until their retirement last summer, NASA’s shuttles provided the bulk of space

station equipment and even the occasional crew member. American astronauts are stuck

riding Russian rockets to orbit until SpaceX or one of its competitors takes over

the job. Russia also is making periodic cargo hauls, along with Europe and Japan.

SpaceX — or Space Exploration Technologies Corp. — is based in Southern

California. That’s where thediscount Mont blanc Pens company’s Mission Control is located for this flight

and where billionaire founder Elon Musk positioned himself for Tuesday’s launch.