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New Photos of SpaceX's Falcon 9 Assembly

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the this-is-sorta-like-lame-porn dept.

RobGoldsmith writes "New images are now available of SpaceX's Falcon 9 being assembled. The images are accompanied with a small update from SpaceX. If there are no unexpected delays, it's possible Falcon 9 will be completely integrated by the end of the year. This update shows real flight hardware and really brings the rocket alive. View images of the Falcon 9 nearing completion now!"

8 of 122 comments (clear)

  1. Re:by the end of the year? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Yeah, that's an odd turn of phrase to use when the end of the year is tomorrow. The article says "before December 31st", and it was posted on Dec 30. Um.

  2. here's a spec. sheet by operator_error · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://www.spacex.com/falcon9.php (Please make source articles more complete)

  3. Re:by the end of the year? by bornyesterday · · Score: 3, Informative

    according to previous releases and a note in the NYT either today or yesterday, falcon 9 is supposed to be fully assembled by dec 31, 2008

  4. Better Link by tibman · · Score: 3, Informative

    The offical site and news: http://www.spacex.com/updates.php It says exactly what the article links to, just a bit more offical ;)

    I know a lot of people never thought SpaceX would get this far. I watched the first three Falcon1's explode like everyone else before this last successful launch in Sept (even though it had no real payload). I'm hopeful their Falcon9 starts out successful.

    --
    http://soylentnews.org/~tibman
  5. Re:NASA isn't that bad. by Karrde45 · · Score: 2, Informative

    SpaceX has developed their own engines. 4 at last count: Merlin, Merlin Vac, Kestrel, and Draco. They are using common dome tanks, which NASA (as far as I know) is not using in their current programs. SpaceX started as little more than an assembler of outsourced and off the shelf parts, but these days they pretty much design and build as much in house as they can. They may be relying on a lot of NASA's theoretical research of years past, but they are definitely designing their own rocket rather than just slapping NASA parts together.

  6. Re:Let's see these guys launch something first by jcnnghm · · Score: 4, Informative

    They've already put the Falcon 1 into orbit. I'd say that's an accomplishment.

    --
    You don't make the poor richer by making the rich poorer. - Winston Churchill
  7. Re:Let's see these guys launch something first by mephistophyles · · Score: 2, Informative

    Don't wanna piss away my karma, but don't forget the canceled Falcon 5 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_5

    just thought I'd add that fyi, in case you didn't count it

  8. Re:by the end of the year? by QuantumG · · Score: 2, Informative

    Actually, it was posted in the SpaceX website on Dec 29.. It took a day to get to the spacefellowship, then another day to get to Slashdot.. so I'm surprised it isn't 2009 already.

    --
    How we know is more important than what we know.