Live coverage: Falcon 9 rocket conducts static fire test

A Merlin engine designed for the version of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket that will carry astronauts into orbit for NASA failed during testing Saturday in Texas, but the company said its upcoming launches will not be affected by the accident.

A day after aborting a rendezvous to resolve a navigation glitch, SpaceX’s Dragon cargo craft made a smooth final approach to the International Space Station on Thursday, floating in range of the research lab’s robot arm for capture at 5:44 a.m. EST (1044 GMT).

The Starlink 12-3 mission was the 230th orbital launch for SpaceX from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff happened at 5:15 a.m. EST (1015 UTC) on Tuesday.