First private cargo rocket blasts off for International Space Station
The first privately-run resupply mission has blasted off for the International Space Station (ISS).
Today's Space X Falcon 9 launch followed a successful test mission during May
Space X, founded by PayPal billionaire Elon Musk, is one of two companies in a $1.6 billion NASA programme trialling private enterprise alternatives to the now-retired Space Shuttle.
ABOVE: Space X's Falcon 9 rocket seven minutes before its launch at 1.35pm NZ time this afternoon from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. It will dock with the International Space Station Thursday NZ time.
The Falcon 9 rocket carried the Dragon capsule into orbit, along with its cargo of 455kg of supplies for the ISS.
The Dragon capsule can be reconfigured to transport six astronauts to and from the Space Station.
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Comments and questions6
step a side when you see god
Like it
Crazy that we still need rockets to get up there.
Its still so sad to see the shuttle program mothballed. These delivery systems just don't have the same flair as the shuttle.
Yeah, style is everything. Bring back the Saturn 5 rocket - or show us some trick new gear out of the Area 51 black projects department. It's amazing that after all these years we're still sending large firecrackers into space using 1940's technology.
thank for the info..i like it..
cnn