A privately constructed spacecraft has successfully launched into orbit around Earth and returned after several hours for a test flight.
Space exploration company SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft propelled from Florida’s Cape Canaveral in the United States on Dec. 8.
“There’s so much that can go wrong, and it all went right,” said SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk in a press release.
The launch heralds a new era for commercial space travel and was the first demonstration flight under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX will service the International Space Station with cargo.
According to NASA, having private industry provide routine transport services to the space station will enable them to focus once again on exploring beyond earth’s orbit.
NASA is investing around $500 million on the space-cargo-transportation-program, and two funded companies SpaceX and Orbital will receive the monies as they reach incremental milestones.
Space exploration company SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft propelled from Florida’s Cape Canaveral in the United States on Dec. 8.
“There’s so much that can go wrong, and it all went right,” said SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk in a press release.
The launch heralds a new era for commercial space travel and was the first demonstration flight under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX will service the International Space Station with cargo.
According to NASA, having private industry provide routine transport services to the space station will enable them to focus once again on exploring beyond earth’s orbit.
NASA is investing around $500 million on the space-cargo-transportation-program, and two funded companies SpaceX and Orbital will receive the monies as they reach incremental milestones.
