Bad Astronomy

SpaceX plans to launch the Falcon 9 this week!

Florida Today is reporting that SpaceX is planning to launch their first Falcon 9 rocket as early as this week, May 27 or 28! [Update: I just found out that the launch has been delayed to Jun 2/3 due to a slip in the schedule of a launch of a Delta IV.]

I am an unabashed fan of SpaceX, one of many commercial companies building rockets to make access to space easier, more reliable, and less expensive. They have already shown themselves to be capable of putting rockets into space, and being resilient while doing so. The Falcon 9 is the next in their series of rockets; this one capable of getting supplies to the Space Station, sending astronauts into orbit, and eventually, being able to put a 20 ton payload into geosynchronous orbit.

You can keep up-to-date with what’s what on the SpaceX updates page. I’ll be keeping a close watch on events as well. This is the future of space exploration, quite literally, and I’m very excited about it.

Related posts:

Obama lays out bold revised space policy
Falcon 9 getting ready for maiden voyage
Falcon 1 launch a success!
Falcon 9 standing tall
High roller

Image credit: Space X.