SpaceX - Falcon 9 First Flight patch.
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
The first SpaceX Falcon 9 launched this morning from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
This photo (above) provided by SpaceX shows the SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon rocket at Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., before liftoff this morning.
The launch was a demonstration for Space Exploration Technologies Corp. or SpaceX.
The Falcon 9 rocket holds a capsule named Dragon. Once aloft, Dragon will circle the world twice, then attempt a re-entry. The plan is for the spacecraft to parachute into the Pacific, 500 miles from Mexico. No private business has accomplished this before.
NASA is hiring companies such as SpaceX to haul supplies to the International Space Station following next year's shuttle retirement. Taxi trips for astronauts may follow.
Images, Video, Text, Credits: SpaceX / NASA / Associated Press / Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times.
Best regards, Orbiter.ch
