The Space X Falcon 9 rocket launch represents a major step away from NASA toward the commercialization of spaceflight. Flickr photo.
The Space X Falcon 9 rocket achieved Earth orbit in its first launch test Friday. The Falcon 9 represents a new direction in low-orbit cargo resupply missions away from government-sponsored programs toward commercial spaceflight. Friday’s launch, was the first flight test of the Falcon 9, a two-stage, 180-foot-high rocket carrying a mock-up of the Space X Dragon capsule. The successful launch sets the stage for commercial spaceflight to the International Space Station for NASA.
Commercial spaceflight worth billions
The Space X Falcon 9 is being sent into orbit as NASA’s space shuttles are being sent into retirement. Universe Today reports that SpaceX plans to fly up to three Falcon 9/Dragon test missions for NASA. Cargo deliveries to the International Space Station could begin with the Falcon 9′s fourth flight as early as next year. Space X has a $1.6 billion contract to take on some of the resupply duties that will no longer be handled by the space shuttle fleet. Another company, Orbital Sciences Corp, has a $1.9 billion station resupply contract with NASA. Orbital Sciences Corp. will start testing its Taurus 2 rocket next year.
Falcon 9 rocket is a bargain
The Space X Falcon 9 rocket is powered by the first new U.S.-made rocket engines in nearly a decade. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Space X, founded in 2002, has attracted hundreds of former employees from NASA and its aerospace contractors to the companies’ facilities in California, Texas and Florida. Space X founder Elon Musk is investing $100 million from the fortune he made by selling PayPal to pursue a goal of making spaceflight more affordable. Musk has attracted another $300 million from investors. NASA is still spending $300 million a month on the Constellation moon-rocket program President Obama will cancel at the end of the year.
Falcon 9 launch date roulette
The odds were against a successful Falcon 9 rocket test. Spaceflight experts give the typical launch test a 50-50 chance. Musk told reporters Thursday that he gauged the chances of a successful Falcon 9 launch at 70 to 80 percent. The chances of surviving a Russian-roulette trigger pull are 83 percent. “So if anybody remembers that scene from ‘The Deer Hunter,’ that’s tomorrow,” he said. With successful earth orbit on its first test flight, the Space X Falcon 9 defied the odds in spectacular fashion.
Space X: more Falcon 9 tests planned
It took four launches for Space X to get its earlier Falcon 1 rocket to orbit. MSNBC reports that some in Congress and the space community have serious doubts about the ability of Space X and other commercial companies to meet NASA’s requirements for future spaceflight. But Musk said the survival of Space X or commercial spaceflight would not depend on the outcome of the latest Falcon 9 launch date. Space X was planning to continue with a series of launches regardless of the outcome of the Falcon 9 test.
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thanks Thomas Hart for an insightful article "Space X Falcon 9 rocket launch ushers in commercial spaceflight" on space X falcon 9
Is for profit space tech where we're headed? Who knows, the question is who can spend the money faster, NASA or a for profit enterprise?
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The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket defied the odds and went into orbit Friday. The Falcon 9 represents a new direction in low-orbit cargo resupply ..
Was researching about falcon 9 and came about your blog, very informative blog. well written article.
The falcon 9 launching was successful last December, I hope we see more of this very good projects from NASA which are in collaboration with private companies.
NASA is doing good work for the space programming of USA.They are making progress in it.
NASA is doing very good work for the USA space programming and making progress day and night.
Thanks for sharing this great written article.
The Falcon 9 rocket by SpaceX launched successfully Wednesday morning. The Falcon 9 is set to take up a key chore of the retiring space
It’s really nice that finally the space program is commercially available to all those can afford it. I believe privatization of such sectors could bring a dramatic change on how we view them, more transparency would mean more freedom and scope for development, however we need strict laws to govern all such commercial space accesses too.
Bravo, as always a beautifully written article!
I think there needs to be many more tests before anyone could get on any of those rockets. And I think they need to find a nice spot to land as well. So far, apart from the exitement of getting on it. I do not see where would you be going and why.
It’s really nice that finally the space program is commercially available to all those can afford it. I believe privatization of such sectors could bring a dramatic change on how we view them, more transparency would mean more freedom and scope for development, however we need strict laws to govern all such commercial space accesses too.
I think this is one of the few times imo when privatization is a really good idea. Whether we think it’s necessary or not, we need to continue to develop new forms of space travel and technology to facilitate it. What the ppl whose only argument is “we have too many problems down here to be worrying about this,” they fail to understand the two most important implications of aeronautical research. The first is for national defense… it’s bad enough that nasa has to rely on Russia to ferry them to the ISS. If we keep going at this rate, our disadvantage will only grow as they continue to develop new technologies in their space program while we pump the brakes on ours. Is air and space superiority something you really want the Russians to have? It doesn’t seem like a good idea for any one country to have, let alone one whom we have a sketchy history with. The second is that with aeronautical research comes a flood of new technologies, most of which are very applicable to us down on earth. For example, if it wasn’t for nasa, we wouldn’t have the chips that we use for non-invasive biopsies, solar energy, and a whole litany of other things (http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spinoffs.html#T… has a good number of inventions that most of us don’t know came from our space program). And if you’re one of those ppl that are so skeptical (or cynical imo) that you still don’t think that any of the things on this list warrant a larger investment in a privatized space industry, just remember that while you sleep at night, you most likely have nasa to thank for that, too. If you use any type of home security system, chances are they use infrared and laser technology that came out of nasa’s research (just look at the adt home security infrared camera page. They even admit that the technology came from nasa!)