First voyage of the private enterprise ...
Source: Agencies |
May 23, 2012, Wednesday
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A COMMERCIAL supply ship, the first of its kind, rocketed toward the International Space Station following a successful liftoff early yesterday, opening a new era of dollar-driven spaceflight.
The SpaceX company made history as its Falcon 9 rocket rose from its seaside launch pad and pierced the predawn sky, aiming for a rendezvous in a few days with the space station. The rocket carried into orbit a capsule named Dragon that is packed with space station provisions.
It is the first time a private company has launched a vessel to the space station. That's something only major governments have done - until yesterday.
"Falcon flew perfectly!!" SpaceX's billionaire founder, Elon Musk, said via Twitter. "Dragon in orbit ... Feels like a giant weight just came off my back."
The White House quickly offered congratulations.
"Every launch into space is a thrilling event, but this one is especially exciting," said John Holdren, President Barack Obama's chief science adviser. "This expanded role for the private sector will free up more of NASA's resources to do what NASA does best - tackle the most demanding technological challenges in space, including those of human space flight beyond low Earth orbit."
Launch controllers applauded when the Dragon reached orbit nine minutes into the flight, then embraced one another once the solar panels on the spacecraft popped open.
Many of the SpaceX controllers wore T-shirts and jeans or even shorts, in stark contrast to NASA's old suit-and-tie shuttle team.
Falcon's nine engines kept firing all the way through liftoff. On Saturday, flight computers aborted a launch with a half-second remaining in the countdown; a bad engine valve was replaced.
"The significance of this day cannot be overstated," said a beaming NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "It's a great day for America. It's actually a great day for the world because there are people who thought that we had gone away, and today says, 'No, we're not going away at all.'"
Docking on Friday
The real test comes tomorrow when the Dragon reaches the vicinity of the space station. It will undergo practice maneuvers from more than a mile out. If all goes well, docking will occur on Friday. Musk will preside over the operation from the company's Mission Control in Hawthorne, California, where he monitored the liftoff.
NASA is looking to the private sector to take over orbital trips in this post-shuttle period; several US companies are vying for the opportunity.
American astronauts are stuck riding Russian rockets to orbit until SpaceX or one of its competitors takes over the job. Russia is also making periodic cargo hauls, along with Europe and Japan.
Hitching a ride into space, aboard the second stage of the rocket, were the ashes of more than 300 people, including "Star Trek" actor James Doohan, who played Scotty.
The SpaceX company made history as its Falcon 9 rocket rose from its seaside launch pad and pierced the predawn sky, aiming for a rendezvous in a few days with the space station. The rocket carried into orbit a capsule named Dragon that is packed with space station provisions.
It is the first time a private company has launched a vessel to the space station. That's something only major governments have done - until yesterday.
"Falcon flew perfectly!!" SpaceX's billionaire founder, Elon Musk, said via Twitter. "Dragon in orbit ... Feels like a giant weight just came off my back."
The White House quickly offered congratulations.
"Every launch into space is a thrilling event, but this one is especially exciting," said John Holdren, President Barack Obama's chief science adviser. "This expanded role for the private sector will free up more of NASA's resources to do what NASA does best - tackle the most demanding technological challenges in space, including those of human space flight beyond low Earth orbit."
Launch controllers applauded when the Dragon reached orbit nine minutes into the flight, then embraced one another once the solar panels on the spacecraft popped open.
Many of the SpaceX controllers wore T-shirts and jeans or even shorts, in stark contrast to NASA's old suit-and-tie shuttle team.
Falcon's nine engines kept firing all the way through liftoff. On Saturday, flight computers aborted a launch with a half-second remaining in the countdown; a bad engine valve was replaced.
"The significance of this day cannot be overstated," said a beaming NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "It's a great day for America. It's actually a great day for the world because there are people who thought that we had gone away, and today says, 'No, we're not going away at all.'"
Docking on Friday
The real test comes tomorrow when the Dragon reaches the vicinity of the space station. It will undergo practice maneuvers from more than a mile out. If all goes well, docking will occur on Friday. Musk will preside over the operation from the company's Mission Control in Hawthorne, California, where he monitored the liftoff.
NASA is looking to the private sector to take over orbital trips in this post-shuttle period; several US companies are vying for the opportunity.
American astronauts are stuck riding Russian rockets to orbit until SpaceX or one of its competitors takes over the job. Russia is also making periodic cargo hauls, along with Europe and Japan.
Hitching a ride into space, aboard the second stage of the rocket, were the ashes of more than 300 people, including "Star Trek" actor James Doohan, who played Scotty.
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