Five years after a Nasa satellite to track carbon dioxide plunged into the ocean after liftoff, the space agency was set to launch a carbon copy this morning — this time on a different rocket.

Nasa’s newest delivery service has finally made it to the International Space Station.

A mishap ended the mission of a computer-controlled Nasa robotic spacecraft prematurely after it came within 300ft (91.44m) of a Pentagon satellite, officials said today.