Universe Today
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Yesterday (Jan. 10th) was a huge day for SpaceX. For the first time ever, one of their rockets (the mighty Falcon 9) was hoisted vertically in preparation for the Falcon 9 maiden launch (presumably) in the next few weeks. No launch window has been announced as yet, but I am sure SpaceX will be working hard to ignite the nine Merlin-1C engines as soon as possible. Static tests
have proven the launch system works
, and the
successful Falcon 1 flight in September
proved SpaceX technology was a reality, so all that is needed is for the largest Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) in the SpaceX fleet to take to the skies, showing the world SpaceX is extending its lead in the commercial space race...
[caption id="attachment_23484" align="alignleft" width="187" caption="Falcon 9 vertical on the launch pad (SpaceX)"]
[/caption]It is strange to think back to October when
I saw a huge aluminium tube
sitting on the SpaceX rocket workshop floor, pre-paint job. Before I realised it, that aluminium first stage shell was painted, branded, and shipped from Hawthorn (CA) to Cape Canaveral (FL) late last year. On December 30th, the Falcon 9 was fully integrated, and yesterday, the whole thing was hoisted upright between four launch pad lightning rods.
Having only just checked out the
SpaceX website
, I've realised the space launch company has released loads of great photos of the progress being made at the new Falcon 9 home, so I thought I'd post a preview of some of these images at the end of this short news update.
--SpaceX Updates (Jan. 10th, 2009)
With this kind of speedy progress being made at Cape Canaveral, plus the
recent $1.6 billion contract
signed by NASA for 12 SpaceX space station cargo flights for the next decade, it's little wonder Elon Musk's rocket launch startup might be feeling quite happy with themselves.
They've even put together a nice time lapse video of Falcon 9 going vertical
...
Update (Jan. 12th):
For those of you (below) who have concerns about the pollution dumped in the atmosphere by rockets, check out
Ethan Siegel's article on Starts With A Bang all about the pollution of rocketry
...
[caption id="attachment_23488" align="alignnone" width="580" caption="Musk standing next to the nine Merlin-1C engines of the Falcon 9 on Jan. 7th (SpaceX)"]
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[caption id="attachment_23489" align="alignnone" width="580" caption="Shortly after the fairing was attached to the booster stages on Dec. 30th 2008 (SpaceX)"]
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[caption id="attachment_23490" align="alignnone" width="580" caption="Before and after: The first stage of the Falcon 9 back in Oct. 2008 at the SpaceX Hawthorn HQ (left) and the same first stage arriving in Cape Canaveral in Dec. 2008 (right). Credit: Ian O'Neill/SpaceX"]
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