“We have liftoff!” are the words that NASA and SpaceX officials hope to hear on March 1, 2013 when the Dragon Space Capsules is once again launched into space. The mission will be the same as the previous missions of the capsule: to resupply the International Space Station. The capsule will launch from the SpaceX launch complex at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. This flight will be another in a string of missions by SpaceX and their Dragon Capsule.
SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk who is the co-founder of PayPal and the owner and founder of Tesla Motors. The company has had many historic firsts. SpaceX was able to put the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket in orbit around Earth. They are also the first company that has been able to successfully put a vehicle in space and retrieve it intact. On May 25, 2012 SpaceX reached a big milestone. The company became the first to have one of their commercial vehicles go to space, attach to the International Space Station, deliver cargo, and return to Earth. These accomplishments are impressive because they symbolize the start of private space travel. They show a future where government agencies and private companies will work together to advance spaceflight exponentially. SpaceX currently holds a contract with NASA where they are set with designing a spacecraft to carry humans into space. For more information about SpaceX click here.
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| Dragon Space Capsule after return to Earth Photo Courtesy of spacex.com |
The Dragon Space Capsule is the star jewel of SpaceX. This vehicle has been able to go on successful, record-breaking missions which have proved the companies worth. One really cool, very helpful and extremely cost-effective feature of this spacecraft is it’s ability to be reused. It was designed so that it could be landed in the ocean and then recovered. After recovery it is rebuffed and can be used again. The spacecraft is launched into space on a Falcon 9 rocket which is also designed by SpaceX.
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| Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon Capsule Photo Courtesy of spacex.com |
This Friday another launch of the Dragon Capsule is set to occur. As previously mentioned it will take off in Florida. It will then meet with the International Space Station and deliver cargo. The capsule is set to return to Earth on March, 25 with a big SPLASH into the Pacific Ocean near Baja, California. It will be carrying back experiments and supplies that the ISS no longer needs. Keep your eye on the news to see if the capsule arrives safely and if you are on a boat in the Pacific watch out! No one needs to get bonked on the head by a runaway capsule.
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