SPACEX
A PRIVATE SPACE CAPSULE CALLED DRAGON SOARED INTO THE PREDAWN SKY TUESDAY, RIDING A PILLAR OF FLAME LIKE ITS BEASTLY NAMESAKE ON A HISTORY-MAKING TRIP TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THE UNMANNED CAPSULE, BUILT BY BILLIONAIRE ENTREPRENEUR ELON MUSKS SPACEX, IS THE FIRST NON-GOVERNMENTAL SPACECRAFT TO LAUNCH TO THE SPACE STATION, USHERING IN A NEW ERA OF PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACE FLIGHT.
Elon Musks SpaceX has successfully launched the second demonstration mission for NASAs Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. The mission is under way as Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft lifted off Tuesday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:44 a.m. EDT.
"I want to congratulate SpaceX for its successful launch and salute the NASA team that worked alongside them to make it happen," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said.
"Today marks the beginning of a new era in exploration; a private company has launched a spacecraft to the International Space Station that will attempt to dock there for the first time. And while there is a lot of work ahead to successfully complete this mission, we are certainly off to good start. Under President Obama's leadership, the nation is embarking upon an ambitious exploration program that will take us farther into space than we have ever traveled before, while helping create good-paying jobs right here in the United States of America."
The Dragon capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including the capability to rendezvous and berth with the International Space Station. On Thursday, May 24, Dragon will perform a flyby of the space station at a distance of approximately 1.5 miles to validate the operation of sensors and flight systems necessary for a safe rendezvous and approach.
