A new rocket that has the potential of making space travel a common phrase- Falcon 9 has been successfully tested. The launch was from the Cape Carnival on this Friday.
It was an amazing sight of a 180 feet long rocket powered by 10 engines blast off successfully to put a dummy load into orbit around earth. The launch is seen as a way toward commercialization of space travel. The target is now all set for a mission to the international space station expected early next year.
The engines of the rocket were fueled by oxygen and RP-1 kerosene rocket fuel and had come to life at 2:45 p.m. ED. However the lift –off came only after 3hours and 45 minutes later in the total 4 hour launch time. The delay was due to the verifications conducted on various features like the rocket’s self destructive system.
Beautiful pictures were captured by the cameras mounted on the rocket which clearly showed the earth and its geography as the rocket accented. The glitch came when the second engine started an initially slow roll midway through the burn that became more and more pronounced as the rocket climbed. However while talking to the media the SpaceX founder Elon Musk has asserted that the second engine had shut down on time thus putting the rocket’s dummy payload Dragon space station cargo module, into its intended 155-mile-high orbit.
A major boost has also come in the way of the builder of this rocket the SpaceX. the owner of the company the Internet-tycoon founder, Elon Musk is all smiles. Even the US administration is heaved a sigh of relief which sees a great role of commercial space companies in NASA’s future.
The next level after this is the launch of a fully operational rocket and capsule into orbit in the coming summer besides the mission to the international space station next year.
Falcon 9 and the Dragon cargo module are being crafted by SpaceX to commute between the international space station and earth. It is intended to deliver supplies to the station and bring back equipment and experiment samples. Following the demonstration flights, The SpaceX is bound by a $1.6 billion Commercial Resupply Service contract covering 12 fights a which is in effect to begin space station resupply missions.