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COTS success

BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
in Zocalo v2.0
SpaceX has just successfully launched their Falcon 9 carrying a Dragon to resupply the ISS. :) The solar arrays just deployed, indicating the space craft is alive and well.

The announcer on their stream is understandably having trouble talking rather than cheering.

I hope the rest of the mission goes as smoothly as the launch.

Comments

  • ShadowDancerShadowDancer When I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie." London, UK
    Indeed, I was really hoping they'd have a successful launch but it seems to have gone flawlessly! Fingers crossed the rest goes as well!
  • croxiscroxis I am the walrus
    I couldn't stay up late to watch it live, but man this is exciting!

    Also goes to show you we need to develop our orbital wifi network for video streaming.
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    [URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEcITrrJ3OU"]It never gets old!![/URL] ;)
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Who needs governments, huh? :)

    Well, I suppose those of us who want to see people on Mars do. Although recently I've often wondered if, after a brief stint with government monopolies, we're returning to the days of rich patrons again.

    I wonder if I'll be able to see the capsule in the Smithsonian next year...
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Last night the Dragon docked successfully with the ISS, making SpaceX the first private company to send a space ship to the ISS.

    [img]http://www.spacex.com/assets/img/20120525-updates/005.jpg[/img]
  • croxiscroxis I am the walrus
    This was only Dragon's second launch right?
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Yes. The first launch in 2010 did two orbits before landing in the Pacific.
  • croxiscroxis I am the walrus
    Got to admit that alone is quite impressive. Hopefully within a couple years it can be manned.
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Dragon has just splashed down successfully in the Pacific.
  • C_MonC_Mon A Genuine Sucker
    Good job everyone!
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    Enter the Dragon...
  • ShadowDancerShadowDancer When I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie." London, UK
    I was waiting for someone to say that....

    Still, its a massively impressive achievement! Now they just need to keep it up!
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    The world could use more Bruce Waynes and Tony Starks. ;)

    They don't have to wear capes though. :D
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    [QUOTE=Imhotep;195282]There was an article recently discussing whether Elon Musk, is our living version of Tony Stark. This man created Paypal, Tesla Motors and SpaceX. I don't think he'll be creating an Iron Man suite, but this man does have impressive record and an itelligent mind. We need more people, like Elon Musk these days, who look beyond the standard and work toward making the future happen.[/QUOTE]

    He doesn't just have an intelligent mind, he also has a will to innovate and take risks. There are plenty of people with intelligent minds and loads of cash, but no will to innovate in risky ways that have potentially huge benefits.
  • bobobobo (A monkey)
    Speaking of innovators, Bigelow should be preparing for its next test inflatable space hotel module, after successfully launching the first one afew years back. Would that be considered B2? ;-)
  • ShadowDancerShadowDancer When I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie." London, UK
    I think that barring a major accident, in a year or two things could start accelerating in the private space industry quite quickly. I hope so anyway!
  • Random ChaosRandom Chaos Actually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
    Speaking of which, hear about the two observation satellites given to NASA? Looks like we get two "free" (pending launch costs) replacement for Hubble after all.

    [url]http://news.discovery.com/space/two-powerful-spy-space-scopes-gifted-to-nasa-120604.html[/url]
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    [QUOTE=bobo;195286]Speaking of innovators, Bigelow should be preparing for its next test inflatable space hotel module, after successfully launching the first one afew years back. Would that be considered B2? ;-)[/QUOTE]

    Actually, they've already launched 2. The next one is B3. :) (Its real name is "BA 330" so I think they may have skipped a few Babylons.) It's due for launch in 2 or 3 years. They are unfortunately being hard-hit by the lack of a crew launch capability, because all their modules after the first 2 require people to go up and prove them.

    [QUOTE=Random Chaos;195288]Speaking of which, hear about the two observation satellites given to NASA? Looks like we get two "free" (pending launch costs) replacement for Hubble after all.

    [url]http://news.discovery.com/space/two-powerful-spy-space-scopes-gifted-to-nasa-120604.html[/url][/QUOTE]

    Apparently it's [url=http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/06/nasa-gets-two-unneeded-hubble-sized-spy-telescopes/]only the optical assemblies[/url], so there are also all the costs of developing a telescope around them. It still saves a massive chunk of money, though.
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    [url]http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/science/space/repurposed-telescope-may-explore-secrets-of-dark-energy.html?_r=3[/url]
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