SpaceX F9

stevoslice

SpaceX F9 Webcast


SpaceX to launch Dragon capsule December 7

Phil Plait wrote:

NASA has announced that the private company SpaceX will launch their second Falcon 9 rocket on December 7. This time, the Dragon space capsule will be on top of the stack! The plan is to get it into space, and then de-orbit it. If this works, it will be the first time a commercial company will have ever done this. The launch window runs from 09:03 to 12:22 EST, and if the launch is delayed the same time window exists for December 8 and 9.
The launch will be broadcast live on NASA TV.

This will be the first launch in NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation System, where NASA partners with private companies to transport crew and supplies to space. Personally, I love this idea. As I’ve said before (scroll down to #2 of My opinion on the new space policy), let private companies do the routine deliveries, and let NASA always keep looking ahead to what’s next.

webcast of testing happening right now {t-5.20}

Beeker

Hoping to launch this afternoon. Launch due at 14:03 but window extends for a few hours. Dragon spacecraft will make two orbits of the Earth before re-entering and landing about three and a half hours later in the Pacific ocean.

lord lucan

False abort at the first go,just a few minutes until a second try.

lord lucan

And away she goes. All looking grand so far.

stevoslice

SpaceX's Dragon Capsule Re-enters Succesfully

Lands on Target in the Pacific Ocean 500 miles Off of the Coast of Southern California

Cape Canaveral, FL – Today, SpaceX became the first commercial company in history to re-enter a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit.

SpaceX and NASA will have a post-mission press conference at 3:30 PM EST at the press site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.


Participants include:

Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO and CTO (via satellite from Mission Control in Hawthorne, CA)
Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX President
Alan Lindenmoyer, NASA Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Manager

SpaceX launched its Dragon spacecraft into low-Earth orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 10:43 AM EST from Launch Complex 40 at the Air Force Station at Cape Canaveral.

The Dragon spacecraft orbited the Earth at speeds greater than 17,000 miles per hour, reentered the Earth’s atmosphere, and landed in the Pacific Ocean shortly after 2:00 PM EST.

This marks the first time a commercial company has successfully recovered a spacecraft reentering from low-Earth orbit. It is a feat performed by only six nations or government agencies: the United States, Russia, China, Japan, India, and the European Space Agency.

It is also the first flight under NASA’s COTS program to develop commercial supply services to the International Space Station. After the Space Shuttle retires, SpaceX will fly at least 12 missions to carry cargo to and from the International Space Station as part of the Commercial Resupply Services contract for NASA. The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft were designed to one day carry astronauts; both the COTS and CRS missions will yield valuable flight experience toward this goal.

rccaulfield

Great stuff!

Beeker

So far so good for SpaceX lets hope they can keep it up:)

BULLER

Well that was fantastic! 3 hours and 20 minutes of bliss. Man rating the dragon wont be done till 2014/5 at the earliest so it's Soyuz until then for the ISS missions. Now its over to NASA to approve their HLV...
Musk is says that he do a 150mt rocket in less than 5 years for under 2.5 billion (nothing!) that would only cost 300 million to launch. And quite frankly, I believe the man!

Beeker

BULLER wrote: »

Well that was fantastic! 3 hours and 20 minutes of bliss. Man rating the dragon wont be done till 2014/5 at the earliest so it's Soyuz until then for the ISS missions. Now its over to NASA to approve their HLV...
Musk is says that he do a 150mt rocket in less than 5 years for under 2.5 billion (nothing!) that would only cost 300 million to launch. And quite frankly, I believe the man!

Same here, he sure is a forward looking guy. No bull just plain "go do it" attitude:)

Beeker

Here comes the Future:)

BULLER

:eek: Where's Beeker and what have you done with him?!!

Beeker

BULLER wrote: »

:eek: Where's Beeker and what have you done with him?!!

:D:DEven a diehard Shuttle nut like me can see the writing on the wall and is trying to embrace the future:eek::D:D:D