Smoke and fire on Sunday poured from a Kennedy Space Center launch pad for the first time since NASA's final shuttle mission blasted off more than five years ago.
It only lasted for a few seconds, as planned, but the long-awaited test-firing of a Falcon 9 rocket's nine main engines around 4:30 p.m. signaled that historic launch pad 39A may soon begin a new chapter launching commercial rockets.
And SpaceX may soon be ready to resume launches from Florida, halted after its rocket explosion last September.
SpaceX will review data from the "static fire" test, but may be ready to launch supplies to the International Space Station for NASA as soon as Saturday, Feb. 18, around 10 a.m.
Sunday's engine firing, which SpaceX confirmed on Twitter, completed several days of work to shake out new systems installed at pad 39A for Falcon launches.
The rocket on Friday was rolled up to the pad and lifted vertical. Preparations were in place to complete the test that day or on Saturday, but it took more time.
The countdown rehearsal, which SpaceX performs before every mission, involves fueling the rocket with rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen and then briefly lighting its Merlin 1D engines.
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