Photos: Delta 4 launches on secret NROL-45 mission

A NASA official said Friday that SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft could be ready to ferry astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station as soon as early March, pending the results from a major demonstration of the ship’s launch abort system this weekend, a pair of parachute drop tests, and space station crew schedules.

In a significant milestone preparing for liftoff of the world’s most powerful rocket, SpaceX test-fired 31 of the booster’s 33 methane-fueled engines Thursday in South Texas as the company eyes a launch attempt as soon as March.

A week after a technical problem on the GSLV Mk.3 rocket thwarted a previous launch attempt, India’s Chandrayaan 2 lunar orbiter, lander and rover climbed into space at 0913 GMT (5:13 a.m. EDT) Monday.