SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket set for maiden launch

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The Falcon 9 rocket, developed by Space Exploration Technologies Corp., is slated for its maiden flight Friday morning.

The Hawthorne-based company, also known as SpaceX, could launch the nine-engine rocket from Cape Canaveral as early as 8 a.m. Pacific time. It will be webcast on the SpaceX website.

The booster is a major contender to assume NASA’s responsibilities in hauling astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station in the wake of President Obama’s budget proposal to outsource space travel to private businesses.

NASA has invested more than $200 million in seed money to help the company develop and build the rocket, and has an additional $1.6 billion on the table with a contract for 12 flights to transport cargo in the coming years.

But Elon Musk, chief executive of SpaceX, knows that a successful launch is no sure thing. In a teleconference Thursday morning, he estimated the chances at 70% to 80%.

SpaceX’s first rocket -- the smaller, single-engine Falcon 1 -- failed three times before it carried a satellite into space.

‘This is very much a test flight of the Falcon 9,’ Musk said. ‘It’s analogous to sort of the beta testing of some new technology.”

[Updated Friday, 7:45 a.m.: Launch has been bumped back to 8:20 a.m. Pacific time due to weather.]

[Updated Friday, 8:35 a.m.: Launch has been put on ‘hold’ for an undisclosed amount of time. No details have been given on the reason for the delay.]

[Updated Friday, 10:15 a.m.: Launch is now set for 10:30 a.m.]

[Updated Friday, 10:40 a.m.: First attempt for launch aborted. Again, no reason given. SpaceX’s launch window extends to 12 p.m., so a launch is still possible.]

[Updated Friday, 11:35 a.m.: New launch time is set for 11:45 a.m.]

-- W.J. Hennigan