SpaceX successfully test flies Dragon spacecraft (1 Viewer)

[Rickboy]

This morning SpaceX launched it's 2nd Falcon 9 rocket. This time it was carrying a Dragon space craft that will eventually be used to as a cargo ship for the International Space Station (ISS). Dragon was also designed to eventually be used as a manned spacecraft for ferrying people to ISS.

The flight just ended moments ago with a successful re-entry and splashdown in the Pacific ocean. This is the first time ever that a private company has run its own orbital spaceflight with a re-entry vehicle.

Next up are two more flights for 2011 with the Dragon capsule docking with the ISS for the first time.

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/spacex

SpaceX twitter feed:
http://twitter.com/#!/SpaceXer

SpaceX facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/SpaceX#!/SpaceX

Not only is Dragon meant to be a re-usable space craft but the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket is meant to be re-usable. The last test flight was unsuccessful in recovering the 1st stage but it looks like they might be successful this time around. SpaceX reported that they got a radar contact and telemetry from the 1st stage as it was coming down. Something like that will greatly reduce the price of launching cargo and people into space...

 

[Yoweigh]

i expect them to go for the iis docking on their next flight since their last few have been so successful.

 

[Rickboy]

i expect them to go for the iis docking on their next flight since their last few have been so successful.

Yea, NASA hasn't approved that yet but I think there is a very good chance that they will after the success of this flight.

 

[Madhattr]

Good news. Space exploration in my opinion has slowed quite a bit since the race in the 60's. We need another cold war competitor like the Russians were during that time to get things heated up again.