The rocket off the web

The private company SpaceX has announced its intention to test its Falcon 9 launcher next February and even plans to send astronauts up into orbit one day.

 

Elon Musk, who made his fortune on the Internet, founder of SpaceX, in front of Falcon 9 during his arrival at Cape Canaveral. Credit: SpaceX

It’s hard to believe that a young Internet genius, aged just 38, is planning to transport the NASA teams to the International Space Station. You might expect the American space agency to tell him to run along and play... Not at all!

From PayPal to Falcon
Born in South Africa in 1971, Elon Musk set up the PayPal payment system on the Internet before selling it on to the leading online auction website, eBay. After revolutionising transactions on the web, the young entrepreneur decided to throw himself into another adventure, going into space, by founding the company SpaceX in 2002. His objective: to launch at one tenth of the current cost! An ambition which did not fail to provoke few wry smiles, especially when the first three flights of his small Falcon 1 launcher ended in disaster. However in September 2008 and July 2009, SpaceX’s «low cost» rocket finally went successfully into orbit. Since then, the young space firm is no longer the butt of jokes especially now that it is under contract with NASA.
Indeed SpaceX has won a very special call for tender by the COTS, Commercial Orbital Transportation Services. Under an innovative agreement, the American agency delivers funding as and when a company completes clearly defined technical stages, the purpose being to develop a launcher capable of serving the International Space Station.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on its launch pad in Florida. A rocket from the web.... Credit: SpaceX

A space «Dragon»
NASA is set to become a client of this means of transport to carry freight to the orbital complex. Accordingly, SpaceX has set up shop on the SLC 40 launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, next to the Kennedy space centre. The «small» Falcon 1 has now become version 9. In theory it is capable of putting 10 tonnes up into low orbit. During November final preparations shall get under way to conduct the first test flight in February 2010 during which the behaviour of a recoverable spacecraft named Dragon shall also be evaluated.

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is destined to take freight to the International Space Station. It is capable of evolving and becoming a manned craft (illustration). Credit: NASA-SpaceX

With its automatic orbital cargo vessel, SpaceX will be able in future not only to deliver equipment and supplies to the ISS on behalf of NASA but also bring them back. The American agency is now ready and has signed a contract to purchase 1.6 billion dollars of «delivery in orbit» services from the young company if it can demonstrate that it is capable of doing so. SpaceX would then indisputably join the ranks of the big players!

The Dragon demonstration spacecraft which will take off from the top of Falcon 9 in February 2010 under preparation in the SpaceX workshops. Credit: SpaceX

In the longer term the company created by the web genius Elon Musk intends to move on to the next stage as his Dragon can evolve and become a manned vessel capable of taking 7 passengers. NASA would them call on the private sector to send its astronauts to the Station, a solution envisaged in the Augustine committee report (see this article) recently submitted to the White House.

Published on 3 November 2009