Weather set fair for SpaceX launch

The weather forecast was largely favorable Friday as SpaceX prepared to launch its Dragon capsule on a bid to become the first private spacecraft to reach the International Space Station. There is a 30 percent chance of weather conditions preventing launch, which Joel Tumbiolo of the 45th Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, described as a "fairly low number." "We are looking at favorable conditions," he told reporters on the eve of the launch, scheduled for 4:55 am (0855 GMT) on Saturday. Tumbiolo said the wind was expected to be mild, five to 10 knots, with a "very low" chance that cumulus clouds in the area could prevent the launch. He added that the overnight and early morning hours tend to be the calmest in south Florida at this time of year, when tropical thunderstorms are frequent particularly in the afternoon and evening. If Saturday's launch is delayed for some reason, SpaceX, a California-based company owned by Internet entrepreneur Elon Musk, has another opportunity to attempt it on May 22. The test flight aims to show that the company's Falcon 9 rocket can send the Dragon on a course to the International Space Station, where it aims to do a fly-by of the orbiting lab followed by a berthing maneuver. The Dragon capsule is toting 521 kilograms (1,148 pounds) of cargo for the space lab and will also aim to return a 660-kilogram (1,455 pound) load to Earth.