US firm aborts first bid to launch rocket

The privately-owned American firm SpaceX Friday aborted a first bid to launch its Falcon 9 rocket, seen as a key step in developing commercial launchers to put astronauts into space.

The launch was abandoned just a few seconds before blastoff, but the company said it planned to try again Friday.

"It looks like we may have experienced a shutdown condition just after ignition. In these situations, the vehicle puts itself into 'safe mode,' the company said on its website.

"There may be chance to 'recycle' the count and try again," the company said.

The company has a four-hour window of opportunity until 1900 GMT for the launch from Cape Canaveral, in Florida, being closely watched by the space industry.

President Barack Obama hopes the private sector will help fill the gap after the space shuttle fleet is grounded later this year, and before a new generation of spacecraft is developed.

"Regardless of the outcome, this first launch attempt represents a key milestone for both SpaceX and the commercial spaceflight industry," the company said.

Obama has proposed spending six billion dollars over five years to help the private sector develop reliable and affordable launchers to transport cargo and US astronauts to the International Space Station.

During the transition period, the United States will depend on Russian Soyuz rockets for access to the ISS.

If all goes according to plan, 10 minutes after its launch, the 180-foot (55-meter) long Falcon 9 rocket, as tall as an 18-story building, will place the Dragon capsule into orbit. Dragon is a mockup of the company's spacecraft.