April 30th SpaceX Launch!

[Bromptonboy]

One for all of us to watch!

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/nasa-clears-spacex-cargo-run-space-station-230835402.html

[Bromptonboy]

They did it!  Launched this morning. 

[davekill]

Great news.

One small step for our continued presence in space, one giant step for private industry eh?

[Rico]

Yes!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/05/120522-spacex-launch-falcon-9-international-space-station-science/

http://youtu.be/tQUvVtXYvqE

[Zarabeth32]

This is so awesome!

They should write this into Big Bang Theory next year.

Z

[Bryancd]

And Scotty's ashes are on board!

[moyer777]

so awesome.

[Feathers]

Great news.

One small step for our continued presence in space, one giant step for private industry eh?

It was pointed out on the radio over here that private industry has built everything that's gone into space from the US. The only difference this time is that they don't have NASA peering over their shoulder all the time, adding to (and then paying) the bills.

[Bromptonboy]

That is true enough.  NASA would handle overall project management and operations.  SpaceX has some pretty exciting stuff on the drawing board as well. 

[davekill]

It was pointed out on the radio over here that private industry has built everything that's gone into space from the US. The only difference this time is that they don't have NASA peering over their shoulder all the time, adding to (and then paying) the bills.

"When reporters asked Shepard what he thought about as he sat atop the Redstone rocket, waiting for liftoff, he had replied, 'The fact that every part of this ship was built by the low bidder.'

[Bromptonboy]

It was pointed out on the radio over here that private industry has built everything that's gone into space from the US. The only difference this time is that they don't have NASA peering over their shoulder all the time, adding to (and then paying) the bills.

"When reporters asked Shepard what he thought about as he sat atop the Redstone rocket, waiting for liftoff, he had replied, 'The fact that every part of this ship was built by the low bidder.'

Hah!  That is great!  I had never heard that one.

[Feathers]

Yes, that's always been a favourite of mine (unfortunately, my company never bids low enough).

[davekill]

The ISS has captured the Space X dragon capsule.
Gizmodo has the live feed here.
http://gizmodo.com/5913298/watch-space-x-dragon-make-its-historic-iss-dock-live-updating

[Bromptonboy]

Now we all have to hold our breath for the return next week...if that goes off well, we'll be back in business sending things & people into orbit.

[billybob476]

Wow, it's cool-looking inside Dragon.

André Kuipers, a Dutch physician and astronaut with the European Space Agency, was on board the ISS when the SpaceX Dragon vehicle berthed. He took this photograph, and wrote,

Inside of the Dragon module. Beautiful. Spacious, Modern. Blue LEDs. Feels a bit like a sci-fi filmset. Of course it is from Los Angeles.

http://boingboing.net/2012/05/28/iss-astronaut-upon-seeing-ins.html