E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
SpaceX
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket fires its engines on a Cape Canaveral launch pad during Saturday's successful static fire test, in preparation for an Oct. 7 launch to the International Space Station.
SpaceX says it successfully test-fired the engines on its Falcon 9 rocket today in preparation for Oct. 7's scheduled liftoff of the California-based company's first official cargo delivery to the International Space Station.
The static-fire test at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida was considered the "last major test" in advance of the launch, SpaceX said in a Twitter update. The rocket was held down while its nine Merlin engines blazed for a couple of seconds on the pad, at the end of a computer-controlled fueling sequence. Data from the test will be analyzed in advance of the scheduled launch at 8:34 p.m. ET on Oct. 7.
This will be the first launch under the terms of a 12-flight, $1.6 billion NASA contract to resupply the space station. In May, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sent an unmanned Dragon capsule to its first space station hookup, during a NASA-funded demonstration flight. The success of that mission cleared the way for cargo flights to begin in earnest.
Another company, Orbital Sciences Corp., is working on its own launch system for supplying the space station: The first stage of Orbital's Antares rocket is due to roll out next week in preparation for a hold-down test on its Virginia launch pad.
SpaceX is also working on a modified version of the Dragon capsule that could be used to transfer NASA astronauts to and from the space station, beginning in the 2015-2017 time frame. That effort falls under a separate NASA program that is also funding spaceship development efforts by the Boeing Co. and Sierra Nevada Corp.
Watch this brief video of today's static-fire test:
SpaceX completes a successful static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket's nine Merlin engines.
More about SpaceX:
- Cargo launch to space station set for Oct. 7
- Why SpaceX is setting the pace in space race
- Gallery: Ten players in commercial space race
- Cosmic Log archive on the new space race
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
Leave a Comment:
It's good seeing the private space industry continuing forward.
Now there are two systems by which to take humans into space
Two golden ship systems.
I hope it works out for them. They need to have delivery systems to the space station without having to go to Russia or China.
China's not providing service to anyone but itself for now, and there are European and Japanese cargo-only, expendable craft...
Hubris driven vitriol from any ignoring the progressive rebuild occurring these days by NASA/Private Firm Aerospace alliances.
It sure does appear to be an ongoing area of successful growth for American Scientific Exploration of The Last Frontier.
Um, you wouldn't mind trying that again in English maybe?
The nescient hoi palloi impart false acrimoniousness without absolution despite incontestable betterment of our technological prowess. This is fallacious.
Woo Hoo!
Look at the pretty rocket!
Well played, Pragmatic!
Paz
Sorry Huh?!?!
I am just happy to see that we are still doing the Space Thingy, despite the 'news' that the Shuttle being retired marked the end and is still being bandied about by some.
Hope that helps!
Paz (that's Peace in Portuguese)
It is very important that the United States keeps a space program going. I read a previous article on MSNBC regarding "Russians face up to their outer space crises", I would not want any of our citizens flying on a Russian space vehicle again, with maybe the exception of Mr. President Obama.
in my opinion
Nah, complete waste of money. Best to spend the money down here where it counts. Let someone else explore space.
Was about to give you as one up till I got the the last part of your comment /sigh. Leave the politics on the political articles please.
The thing to remember about space exploration is that scientists aren't throwing a bunch of cash into a space capsule and firing it into space. They're creating jobs and advancing the state of the art.
GOOF.
In my opinion.
Indeed, more than the actual space stuff, it is all of the off-shoot inventions that are developed as a result of the space program(s). And the Government has to fund it as private industry won't do it on its' own, much like the infrastructure that we so badly need (that private industry still fails to see the need for)! Keep Obama in office so the USA will have a future, like the one that Kennedy started for us 52 years ago..
"Let someone else explore space."
And benefit from it first...?
The Awesome raw power of this Rocket is so magnificent that it seems unreal. To imagine that man can create something so awesome and successfully send it into space to rondevoux with a space station is cause for wonder at the brilliance of the mind..
Thank you Alan Boyle....so wonderful to learn of these space flights. ..
Well i feel stupid. Go to "Space-X" and take the video tour with Mr. Musk.
What a great company .
Nice work Elon musk .
Great News! We need more!
This is the second step for mankind, as the exploration of space goes beyond government funded vehicles to private enterprise going where no dollar has gone before ... this is a good thing. This will generate sustainable jobs regardless of which party is in power.
I like the system approach of doing a hot-fire test of all the engines on the pad prior to launch. That and their leaned out, rapid decision process are being watched closely by many to see how well they work in reducing operational costs. I hope they have a successful mission. Can't wait to see the Falcon Heavy on the pad.
Me neither. It's been a bit quiet around here since the shuttles were retired. The Falcon Heavy will be almost as cool going off as a shuttle.
Will be there if any way possible, Redphish!! Got a great spot on the causeway we go to.
Peace!
Rumpelstiltskin!
SpaceX - 2
North Korea - 0
Take THAT, Communism!
I think even "Communism" would be offended at being linked to North Korea, seeing as how Soviet Russia did a great job of space exploration.
I would love to flaunt to the "dear leader" in North Korea that a private company has done what his whole nation has failed to do, but the US has far too much work to do to play childish games with minor nations.
Can hardly wait to see the Falcon 9 Heavy, next year. Should be one heckava light show.
There's good reason why the only two ways people enter into Christianity in the first place are either thru childhood brainwashing or in rather profound ignorance of the Bible.