- Associated Press - Tuesday, May 22, 2012

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. (AP) - This time, private rocket maker SpaceX is hoping for an actual liftoff for its history-making flight to the International Space Station.

The company’s Falcon 9 rocket is poised on its launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Fla. Liftoff is scheduled for 3:44 a.m.

Aboard the rocket is a SpaceX Dragon capsule filled with space station supplies. No private business has attempted to launch a vessel to the space station _ until now. It’s part of NASA’s post-shuttle strategy.

On Saturday, the rocket’s engines fired but shut down with just a half-second remaining in the countdown. A bad valve was replaced.

Forecasters say the weather looks good. The California-based company has just one second to get its rocket flying.

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