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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. by the end of the year? by OglinTatas · · Score: 5, Insightful

    as in the end of 2009? or tomorrow? Or somewhere in between, like the Chinese new year or Rosh Hashanah?

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    More music, fewer hits
  2. Re:first? by jcr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yay, newly-created organization which hasn't accumulated a work-impeding bureaucracy.

    SpaceX is doing great work. Let's hope they don't become another bloated military-industrial dependency anytime soon.

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  3. here's a spec. sheet by operator_error · · Score: 4, Informative

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

  4. The power of government... by tjstork · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Next time free enterprise puts a man on the moon, you let me know.

    If you capitalists hadn't have f--- up with your stupid lending decisions and dumb investments, there wouldn't be a government bailout now, would there? There was no need for government to momentarily take control of everything, until the people that previously controlled things utterly screwed up.

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    This is my sig.
    1. Re:The power of government... by lysergic.acid · · Score: 4, Insightful

      the Federal Reserve had nothing to do with predatory lending practices (which had been going on in the credit industry long before the mortgage crisis). and for the most part, the investment banking industry has been self-regulated--which is an inherent conflict of interest.

      do a little research into the history of industry regulations in the U.S., and you'll see exactly why these regulations are necessary. anyone who thinks a laissez-faire free market economy is the solution to all the world's problems is clearly ignorant of our past and needs a reality check.

      despite what many libertarians seem to believe, greed does not inherently promote public welfare or ethical/responsible behavior. the truth is quite the opposite, which is historically why regulations have been legislated in the first place.

  5. Re:The Power of Capitalism by Allicorn · · Score: 4, Insightful

    All that NASA is good at doing these days is burning money.

    Deary me - isn't that a little unfair? The only thing they can do is burn money? You don't see any value at all in the various Mars missions, the fascinating output of Cassini-Huygens, or SOHO, or...? And so on.

    Check out the NASA Current Missions for a bit of an overview of some of the amazing work that NASA are doing.

    Whilst I don't disagree with your main point that small, nimble, commercial outfits can often work smarter and quicker than monolithic government departments, I don't think it's fair cast NASA as nothing but a bottomless sinkhole for cash.

    It might also be worth considering how many of those current projects would never even get to the drawing board stage if the only space enterprises we had were entirely commercial.

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    OMG!!! Ponies!!!
  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.

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    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 shess · · Score: 4, Funny

    let's see Falcon 9 actually get off the pad first without blowing up.

    Hell, I'd pay to see either option.