SpaceX's unmanned Dragon resupply capsule launched successfully from Cape Canaveral this morning on its mission to re-supply the orbiting space station complex.

After a successful lift-off, the capsule separated from the rocket and acheived orbit, but experienced problems with a propellant valve when it began its deployment of solar arrays. Then three of the four thruster pods for the capsule failed. It was reported at 7 am Alaska Time that after working on the problem, the craft is now heading toward the space station.

This is the second re-supply mission for the private U.S. spacecraft developer. It is due to dock with the station on Saturday at 2:30 am Alaska Time. It carryies with it about 1,300 pounds of supplies for the orbiting craft and its six persons aboard.

When it makes its return trip to earth, it will be bringing back approximately 2,600 pounds of cargo. That cargo will consist of crew supplies, results from scientific studies, and space station hardware.

The first docking at the station was accomplished in May of 2012, and the first re-supply was performed in October of the same year.

Since the U.S. Space Shuttle program came to a close, the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule are the only means of ferrying cargo to the spacestation that the United States has at its own disposal.

The capsule will remain docked at the station until March 25th, at which time it will undock and return to earth using a parachute-assisted splashdown off of the coast of Baja California.