   The Falcon has Flown
  Didn't see anyone remark on this yet. SpaceX's Falcon I has finally succeeded, lofting a 670kg dummy payload to orbital velocity. For those of you who don't know, this is the first privately-funded liquid-fueled rocket to do so.I offer congratulations to them for this achievement.So what does everyone think? Is this a new age of spaceflight we're entering?My thoughts: This achievement is a good thing. At first I was skeptical, because of the tendency of private companies to cut corners to save costs when faced with competition. The various bureaucratic failures of NASA have shown, however, that there are more ways to create failure than just corner-cutting.The one thing about rocket science is that when you fail, you usually fail big. You usually either launch successfully, or you fail with a complete loss. So maybe orbital launching is one arena where capitalism truly will foster in the best services for the lowest cost. If this works out, it can only be a good thing. It will free up NASA from performing the routine "space trucking" to orbit, so that they can focus on performing some truly spectacular science and exploration beyond LEO for once.I do still hold some reservations of course. I think that there's a distinct possibility that orbital rocketry is a problem so complex that there will never be room for profit at the success rates that the market will require. But I can't say I'll be disappointed if I'm proven wrong :D   
Quote:there's a distinct possibility that orbital rocketry is a problem so complex that there will never be room for profit at the success rates that the market will require.While its certainly commendable that private enterprise has stepped into space on its own, aside from putting up satelites, is there commercial viability in space yet, of any kind?   ;Quote:Original post by ChokkiQuote:there's a distinct possibility that orbital rocketry is a problem so complex that there will never be room for profit at the success rates that the market will require.While its certainly commendable that private enterprise has stepped into space on its own, aside from putting up satelites, is there commercial viability in space yet, of any kind?Its possible spaceX is banking on bringing the cost so low it will open new practical commercial application for space.   ;  Although right now doesn't seem a good time to be spending money on anything non-essential (in the Western world anyway), so who knows.   ;  maybe they want to colonize the moon. It's still open for colonization. I mean I know a lot of rich people would have fun in low gravity. I mean imagine jumping around. Sure it would get old, but it would be a blast.   ;  Wouldn't your bone density degrade in lunar gravitational conditions, if you were to live there long enough?You cant run to the moon to escape the human condition, you will just end up taking it with you ;)   ;  Definitely a step forward. NASA, for all the awesomeness it's given us since its inception, can't be expected to carry the full weight of this country's space trade on its shoulders forever - the strain has already made itself woefully apparent.   ;  Hey, someone actually posted about this. I wasn't expecting anyone to notice, so I didn't bother...Actually, SpaceX is technically the SECOND commercial spaceflight company to get into orbit. Orbital Sciences was first, with their air-launched Pegasus rocket. But Falcon I is certainly the first ground-launched, liquid-fuelled rocket to get into orbit. :) OSC, which is the other COTS provider, will have some stiff competition from SpaceX if all goes well!Quote:While its certainly commendable that private enterprise has stepped into space on its own, aside from putting up satelites, is there commercial viability in space yet, of any kind?There have been commercial satellites in geostationary orbit since... oh, the early 70s, maybe? Not certain as to the date, but I think it's around there, probably earlier. How do you think you get satellite TV? Think that's government provided? :P   ;  Hmmm.Apparently the original data I got was wrong, and this flight only hefted 165kg of payload. Supposedly the rocket is able to launch up to 670kg though, but that's kind of a disappointment. 165kg of capacity isn't even enough to launch two sputniks.   ;Quote:Original post by ChokkiQuote:there's a distinct possibility that orbital rocketry is a problem so complex that there will never be room for profit at the success rates that the market will require.While its certainly commendable that private enterprise has stepped into space on its own, aside from putting up satelites, is there commercial viability in space yet, of any kind?For LEO/GEO satellites, yes. DARPA actually bought the first 2 launches of Falcon I (which both failed, unfortunately).Like I said earlier, this can be a very good thing by freeing NASA up from the routine and mundane "space trucking" responsibilities, and letting them focus on research that corporations would find unprofitable.   