Jan 30, 2010

Posted by in NASA, current, private

The next American rocket?

Will a private vehicle, like Falcon 9, succeed the shuttle?

As NASA’s next manned spacecraft seems destined to be mothballed, SpaceX—a private space company—prepares to ready its Falcon 9 rocket for a first flight.

If the United States decides to privatize manned spaceflight—and that seems to be the Obama administration’s plan—then post-Shuttle astronauts may ride aboard a Falcon 9.

All the pieces of the Falcon 9 have arrived at Cape Canaveral. They are being readied for an engine test. And an actual launch could potentially take place in February.

SpaceX is, in my view, the most promising private company to launch astronauts into orbit. But that doesn’t justify canceling the shuttle-replacement, the Constellation program. And yet that’s what appears to be happening.

  • beau

    Was this the hope & change you were looking for? The idiots in Washington would rather pay Russia up to 67 million per seat to send our astronauts in space.

    NASA has signed a $335 million contract for Soyuz flight for six astronauts. WTF?

    Every politician in Washington shot be fired and shot by firing squad on the PBS channel!

  • Ray Katz

    Not pleased with canceling Constellation. But GOP didn’t properly fund NASA for shuttle replacement either. Some private companies are promising—may be able to get astronauts into orbit and ISS.

    But it’s terrible to have no manned spacecraft.

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