View Single Post
  #2   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 04-10-2008, 17:17
EricH's Avatar
EricH EricH is offline
New year, new team
FRC #1197 (Torbots)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Rookie Year: 2003
Location: SoCal
Posts: 19,726
EricH has a reputation beyond reputeEricH has a reputation beyond reputeEricH has a reputation beyond reputeEricH has a reputation beyond reputeEricH has a reputation beyond reputeEricH has a reputation beyond reputeEricH has a reputation beyond reputeEricH has a reputation beyond reputeEricH has a reputation beyond reputeEricH has a reputation beyond reputeEricH has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Falcon 1 makes orbit!

Quote:
Originally Posted by iCurtis View Post
SpaceX!

Well, this is pretty late, but I don't spend much time around CD during the off season, and I'm really surprised this hasn't shown up.

On September 28th, SpaceX launched the Falcon 1 into orbit, and became the first privately funded company to do so. It really is a remarkable achievement. Even more amazing is the forthcoming Falcon 9 and Dragon space capsule. The Dragon space capsule is being developed under a COTS (Commercial Orbital Transportation Services) contract with NASA. It's currently just for cargo to the ISS, much like ESA's ATV. However, SpaceX is building a capsule that could become man-rated within two or three years if necessary. After the Soyuz waiver was recently approved, it isn't as much of a current issue, but it is still really really cool! The Falcon 9 which can lift the capsule with cargo to the ISS, is scheduled for a test launch from Cape Canaveral in early 2009, so that's pretty exciting as well.
Actually, the Dragon is planned to be man-capable. They're also working on Falcon 9 (heavy), which uses a pair of Falcon 9 first stages for extra boost.

Oh, and the first stage is recoverable. I would assume that also means reuseable. (Someone was saying something about reuseable liquid-fueled rockets a few minutes ago?)

The site is pretty interesting; they've got a lot of information about their projects.
__________________
Past teams:
2003-2007: FRC0330 BeachBots
2008: FRC1135 Shmoebotics
2012: FRC4046 Schroedinger's Dragons

"Rockets are tricky..."--Elon Musk

Reply With Quote