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SpaceX Successfully Launches Falcon 9 Rocket
leetrout writes "SpaceX has successfully launched a two-stage rocket, the Falcon 9, into Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. 'Liftoff came after hours of delay, sparked initially by launchpad telemetry problems, then by a sailboat that strayed into a restricted area of the launch range. The day's first countdown was aborted at virtually the last second, due to a problem with the engine parameters, but the launch software was adjusted and a second countdown went all the way to the end.'"
Update: 06/04 20:16 GMT by S : Reader mrcaseyj points out Spaceflight Now's coverage, which includes a number of pictures from the launch.
What makes this one of the most important rocket launches in history is that, unlike at other rocket companies, the founder, Elon Musk, is determined to make a reusable rocket. The first stage of this rocket has been fitted with parachutes and covered with cork to protect it from the heat of reentry so that it can be recovered and studied in hopes of making them reusable in the future. The success of this launch solidifies the success of Spacex, and thereby dramaitcally increases the chances of huge benefits to humanity from much more affordable space launch. Also, the other rocket companies are probably very worried about losing all their business to Spacex now.
I'm making a note here -- huge success!
Hopefully this will reinvigorate the US market for launch vehicles. The satellite-manufacturing spin-off company of the research centre where I work currently launches most if not all of its payloads on decommissioned Russian ICBMs. I hope that in a couple of years, SpaceX's stable of launchers will be a practical and economical alternative!
Pirate Party UK
I don't want to hear anymore about Obama and his socialist plan to move space launching into the hands of private enterprise.
Not a typewriter
[ ] you know what "sarcasm" means
[x] you don't
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I laughed at the feeble attempts of the giant alien wasp to stop the launch at T -5 or so. Was that you, K'breel, or one of your minions?
[ ] You got the joke.
[x] Whoosh!
The enemies of Democracy are
Earlier today they had a launch abort at T -0:00:00. I happened to watch the webcast on the SpaceX site; the countdown got to zero and my impression was that ignition was underway when the launch was aborted.
Had they used solid rockets, they'd have been SOL at this late stage.
Also, finding the cause and then being able to launch inside 1.5 hours is rather quick. ISTR early Shuttle launches where the slightest setback resulted in putting the clock back to T -12h.
And was the countdown off, or was the webcast not properly synchronized? I saw liftoff taking place at T -0:00:02.
It's not the elimination of the NASA manned rocket program. It's about the descoping of the poorly conceived and poorly executed NASA manned rocket design and manufacturing program; whose significant purpose was employment in Alabama congressional districts. A private contractor will not decide on the mission goals or the payload. One can have robust manned space program without designing the rockets.
In 1965 NASA had to design and build its own microcomputers. NASA does not do so any more; astronauts use standard laptop computers on the ISS.
That's why Hitler and Stalin were so so gay for each other.
I thought it was their mutual love of mustaches.
Indeed. In fact, the real reason Hitler invaded the Soviet Union in 1941 was because he could no longer contain his jealousy over Stalin's thick luxurious mustache which was so much nicer than his own. If only Rogaine had been available millions of lives could have been saved.
That's only because he knows that private enterprise will be more efficient in eventually allowing humans to travel to his real birthplace!
Negative moral value of force outweighs the positive value of good intentions.
Huh?
No one wants to killed manned NASA flights, just the boondoggle that is their latest vehicle project. It only serves to keep shuttle makers in business.
They called it National Socialism for a reason!
Probably for similar reasons why North Korea calls itself the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea".
I knew it! Damn democrats!
Therefore, by the (faulty) logic you're using, you're just a cow with a keyboard - osu-neko (2604)
Actually, the crazy ones are the ones who hold on to their wealth. Money is for spending, it has no other worthwhile purpose.
The article says SpaceX got $278 million from NASA to develop the rocket. Apparently we spent $1.500 billion on Ares in FY10 alone, and spent $445 million on a single sub-orbital test flight for Ares in '09.
From Elon Musk's press telecon, as transcribed by flatoday.net:
"We achieved a "near bulls-eye" on the orbit. There was a little more roll than was expected. It didn't affect the mission. It is something to be investigated and refined. We're very happy with the second stage performance."
This isn't a spin-stabilized spacecraft, so I'd call what I saw more than just a "little roll"... still, damned impressive that the launcher can make an orbital bullseye while having that much uncontrolled spin.