The first Falcon 9 rocket has been hauled vertical on its launch pad at Cape Canaveral, in preparation for its inaugural blast off.

Private company SpaceX, the rocket’s owners, are now due to conduct a test fuel tank filling and a static fire of the rocket but no dates have yet been set for these.

For more on this topic, see Science lines up for seat to space – The advent of commercial trips could open up research opportunities.

Image: Chris Thompson / SpaceX.