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| Now That's A Rocket!!! |
Case in point: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or SpaceX - is run by billionaire Elon Musk, who made his fortune as a co-creator of PayPal. He also owns the electric car maker Tesla Motors.
In May of last year, SpaceX made history as the world's first privately held company to send a cargo payload, carried on the Dragon spacecraft, to the International Space Station.
Last March, the capsule brought back more than 1 ton of science experiments and old station equipment. It's the only supply ship capable of two-way delivery. NASA is paying SpaceX more than $1 billion for a dozen resupply missions. Space X can reuse their
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| Docking With International Space Station |
SpaceX has signed contracts with private sector companies, non-American government agencies and the American military for its launch services. It has already launched, for a paying customer, a low earth orbiting satellite with its Falcon 1 booster in 2009. The company plans to launch its first commercial geostationary satellite in 2013 from a Falcon 9.
Musk has stated that his intention for the company is to help in the creation of a permanent human presence on Mars.
How's that for vision!
I have more on this company in upcoming posts. Folks, we are on the verge of truly remarkable breakthroughs and discoveries led by the private and the public sector.
Here's a fun short video clip (with a really cool song). This is pretty darn amazing!
Loved the song and the video, great start to my Monday morning.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
I wrote about the dragon a while back. I am fascinated that private enterprise is going forward so fast.
ReplyDeleteLove Johnny Cash.
JO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE
It must be just amazing to be standing next to that rocket.
ReplyDeleteIf you have the cash, he has the rocket!
ReplyDeleteNow that's a good pun!
Delete~Tina
Totally amazing! I'd heard this story before, but didn't know it was the PayPal guy. How cool is that? Even before the video started, I'd guessed the song. Sounds like I may end up on Mars anyway...sigh.
ReplyDeleteTina @ Life is Good
Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge Blog
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge
I didn't realize they were doing so many launches already.
ReplyDeleteThere was another private launch today in Virginia by Orbital Sciences Corporation. They are happening with much more frequency now. And not just in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see what comes next with private space exploration. I didn't even know they were already doing these launches!
ReplyDeleteYep, pretty amazing. Had no idea they were already involved in sending rockets to the space station. Thought it was all down to the Russians now.
ReplyDelete