A rocket designed and builtby a privately owned companyhas made history by bringing a supply capsuleto the International Space Station.It was the first private spacecraftto carry out such a mission.The company SpaceX launched its Dragon space capsulelast week on the company's Falcon 9 rocket.It launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.NASA LAUNCH COMMENTATOR: "Three, two, one, zeroand the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket,as NASA turns to the private sectorto resupply the International Space Station."SpaceX mission controllers celebratedwhen the rocket had reached orbitand its solar panels had deployed.Three days earlier,a launch attempt was cancelled at the last secondwhen a computer found a problem with the engine.Charlie Bolden is the head of the American space agency, NASA.He spoke to reporters at the Kennedy Space Centerin Florida after the rocket was launched.CHARLIE BOLDEN: "The significance of this daycannot be overstated.A private company has launched a spacecraftto the International Space Stationthat will attempt to dock there for the first time.And, while there is a lot of work aheadto successfully complete this mission,we are certainly off to a good start."The head of SpaceX watched the launch from company headquarters.Elon Musk told reporters:ELON MUSK: "There is so much hope riding on that rocket,so when it worked, and Dragon worked and the solar arrays deployed,and people saw their handiwork in space and operating as it should-- I mean it was tremendous elation.I mean, it is like, I guess, for us,it is like winning the Super Bowl."The rocket successfully linkedwith the International Space Station on Friday.Astronauts on board the Space Stationused its robotic arm to secure the capsule.SPACE STATION: "Capture is confirmed."MISSION CONTROL: "Station, Houston,congratulations on a wonderful capture.You've made a lot of folk happy down here and over in Hawthorneand right here in Houston. Great job, guys."NASA has invested about four hundred million dollarsin SpaceX to help it develop space flight technology.And the agency also has a contract with SpaceXfor twelve flights to resupply the space station.NASA wants private companies to carry out operations in low-Earth orbit.The agency wants to center its attentionon developing the next generation of spacecraftthat can travel to asteroids or Mars.The Falcon 9 rocket brought more thanfive hundred kilograms of supplies to the space station.But it also carried the remains, or ashes, of three hundred people.Among the remains were those of astronaut Gordon Cooperand actor James Doohan.Doohan played Chief Engineer Scotty in the popular televisionand movie series "Star Trek. "The remains will orbit the Earth for about a yearuntil burning up in the atmosphere.And that's the VOA Special English Technology Report.Transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our reports are at 51voa.com.