SpaceX Boosts Malaysian Satellite Into Orbit

Soychemist writes "On the same day that yet another shuttle launch was postponed, SpaceX successfully carried a Malaysian satellite, RazakSAT, into orbit. This is the second successful launch in a row for Elon Musk's space exploration startup. Later this year the company will launch its larger Falcon 9 rocket, which could be used to carry cargo to the International Space Station. RazakSAT was designed by ATSB and carries a high resolution camera. If it is intact, the satellite will take photographs of Earth that could be used to better manage natural resources." Adds xp65: "The satellite was separated from the Falcon 1 about 48 minutes after liftoff at 3:35 GMT (11:35 pm EDT). The orbit is 685 km and 9 degrees inclination. Launch was delayed several times due to a faulty helium valve on the ground and bad weather at the launch site at Kwajalein. This was the fifth flight of the Falcon 1 rocket, with the last two flights being succesful. Later this year the inaugural flight of the larger Falcon 9 rocket is planned from Cape Canaveral."

Comments

'better manage'?

[toby]

Ya know, the best way to 'manage' natural resources is to leave them the fuck alone. Better yet, stop calling them 'resources' and start calling them our heritage or a term that reflects the irreplaceability and sacredness of everything we are currently destroying as fast as we can.

If this satellite helps us leave the Amazon and every other piece of threatened Nature alone, well great, but we already know who's destroying it (our lifestyle is funding it) and where (everywhere), why (greed), and how (corruption, lack of enforcement). In a nutshell the "First World", as usual, is the enabler.

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