Space X successfully launched a rocket headed to the ISS today (after a 24 hour delay). More importantly, the booster section successfully landed back at Cape Canaveril for reuse. Awesome news.
but to cloudy this morning. I usually can see the launches. I'm probably 50 miles or so west of the Cape. Go out my back yard and can see one. During the day mostly vapor trail, but you can make out the rocket. At night you can see the booster flame.
The space shuttles were pretty magnificent. Lit up the night sky!
The 2nd mission on the SpaceX manifest after today is SES-10 which reuses a first stage from last year. Falcon Heavy and Dragon v2 is scheduled for demo flights this year. Boeing's commercial crew demo flight is scheduled to fly next year. If all goes well, our astronauts will fly to the space station next year on a commercial space vehicle.
Not to mention NewSpace companies like Blue Origin and Sierra Nevada developing new rockets.
Of course, there's that whole $16 billion boondoggle that is NASA's $pace Launch $ystem... but that's for another day....
But remind me again what difference this makes in my life?
Decreased cost of launch increases telecommunications infrastructure. One of SpaceX's "side" projects is to build a global Internet satellite constellation. Ostensibly they plan on using profits from this to fund their Mars colony aspirations.
The space shuttles were pretty magnificent. Lit up the night sky!
I think this is the 3rd or 4th time they have successfully done this
Spacex is planning launches every 2 or 3 weeks going forward .
in April 2017 SpaceX is planning the first launch with reused booster
if it is successful then we will be in a new era of space flight ..
Not to mention NewSpace companies like Blue Origin and Sierra Nevada developing new rockets.
Of course, there's that whole $16 billion boondoggle that is NASA's $pace Launch $ystem... but that's for another day....
elon musk video on instagram - ( New Window )
For now, nothing. In the long run, it could result in less expensive space launches.
Decreased cost of launch increases telecommunications infrastructure. One of SpaceX's "side" projects is to build a global Internet satellite constellation. Ostensibly they plan on using profits from this to fund their Mars colony aspirations.