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Watch live: SpaceX launch Sunday morning

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Early Sunday morning, entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX will make its third attempt to land a rocket on an ocean barge – a feat that if successful would be historic.

The landing would happen minutes after the company’s Falcon 9 rocket blasts off carrying cargo to the International Space Station. The rocket is programmed to turn itself around after it separates from the capsule and a second-stage engine, which will continue to orbit.

The Hawthorne-based company is trying to land its 13-story unmanned rocket in the hope that it could be used again. Such reusable rockets have long been a goal in the industry because they could sharply reduce the cost of space travel.

This will be the seventh time SpaceX has carried cargo to the International Space Station under a contract with NASA.

The launch from Florida's Cape Canaveral is scheduled for 7:21 a.m. PDT. Coverage of the event by NASA’s television station begins at 6 a.m.

Follow me on Twitter @MelodyPetersen

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