SpaceX reaches orbit

SpaceX became the first private company to launch a liquid fueled rocket into Earth orbit. Totally awesome! This was their fourth launch of the Falcon 1 configuration and was carrying a test payload. Their third launch two months ago didn't achieve orbit and actually was carrying paying payload - oops.

This is a huge step on the road to space.

SpaceX - Flight 3 of the Falcon 1

SpaceX is launching their Falcon 1 today from Kwajalein - about 1 hour to go before liftoff, if things go according to plan.

Here's a live webcast - http://www.spacex.com/webcast.php

MoonBoy

We've been doing GeoCaching for a number of years, enjoying learning about new parks and finding Geocaches on our trips. Earlier this year we created our own Geocache near our house and placed a Travel Bug in it - MoonBoy. His goal was to view a space shuttle launch and to someday travel on a Space Shuttle.

Amazingly, he's made his first goal and was an observer to this weekend's launch of STS. This is totally cool! Here are the photos on the GeoCache site

SpaceX signs more business, builds more engines

It looks like SpaceX is continuing to make good progress, both with engineering and with business.
From the SpaceX status page:

"For the last few months, optional activities such as website updates have gone on the back burner while we finished the regeneratively cooled Merlin 1C engine, got the Falcon 9 first stage integrated, proof tested and fired, signed up our first GTO (geostationary transfer orbit) customer - Avanti Communications Group, and took our COTS system past the big CDR milestone."

Signing a contract for placement into a geostationary orbit is huge! I'm really hoping these folks don't spend all their capital on development of bigger engines without establishing the operational business that will generate revenue. They seem to be looking to raise $100M in the first half of 2008, hopefully that will happen and keep this company going to profitability.

Armadillo Aerospace almost wins prize

So close... Armadillo Aerospace had a couple good flights but tipped over just before touchdown and the next day caught on fire on takeoff. They were this close to winning the Level 1 prize in the Lunar Lander Challenge.


More about the Lunar Lander Challenge over here.

NASA Tech Briefs

A long time ago I used to subscribe to NASA Tech Briefs - a slim monthly magazine full of hard-core engineering articles and light scientific reporting.
A few months ago a friend had an issue and I decided to see what kind of online presence they have now - and they have a good one. No Atom feed, but still lots of techno-bits!

NASA Tech Briefs

Space Conference

Here's something interesting from Wired Private Launches, New Tech ... This Isn't Your Parents' Space Age

This week an estimated 7,000 government officials, corporate representatives and space enthusiasts will converge at the annual National Space Symposium here to hash out the technological, cultural and political issues surrounding the next decade's push for manned exploration of space.

I hadn't heard about the Constellation program from NASA, but it's very exciting to see the money put into space resulting in good work.

Here are a couple space blogs with a little news Space Politics and Space Report.

SpaceX launching demo flight #2 today

I don't know where I've been, but I had no idea that SpaceX corporation is so far along with their technology and their business. They three configurations - light, medium and heavy. These can reach LEO, GEO and the heavy can support planetary missions! A commercial company that can reach another planet! They are broadcasting the launch also.

This video of their Falcon1 launch in late 2006 kicks so much ass over the BlueOrigin test launch - although when BlueOrigin launches that cute iPod of a rocket for real, that will be so very cool.

Update - the launch was delayed 45 minutes, but the live webcast is on. Cool! I can see vapors from the fuel topping off! "T minus 20 minutes and counting..." Wicked!

Update - AARggh! They aborted launch at T minus 1:15. Not sure why yet.

Update - The launch engineer has announced termination of the webcast, but the launch will be rescheduled for tomorrow same time.

(Check out the google maps of the Omelek Island launch site - someday we'll have live Google Earth with the 3D trajectory!)

PS - if you want to chat about this, download this Firefox sidebar and go to the SpaceX home page