Today Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), a private company based in Hawthorne-CA, successfully launched its test rocket, Falcon 9. The historic flight lasted almost 10 minutes and the spacecraft reached low earth orbit where it will remain for a few weeks. The success of the flight is a great feat as well as a sigh of relief for SpaceX and other commercial space companies, which NASA has charged with building the next U.S. spacecraft to ferry astronauts to the space station after the space shuttles retire this year. NASA expects the Falcon 9 rocket to be the first vehicle ready by 2015.

Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, FL on its second attempt--its first try was automatically aborted seconds before launch. Tensions remained high until the first stage successfully separated from the second stage, and a second set of engines fired to propel the spacecraft into earth orbit. The test rocket carried a simulated capsule, called Dragon, which will be used to carry cargo and eventually crew to the International Space Station. The capsule will remain in low earth orbit collecting data for a couple weeks. The goal of the flight was sheer data gathering, and prior to its launch, Elon Musk, the company's founder and CEO, said even a 70 to 80 percent success rate would be an accomplishment.

Last year, the company won a $1.6 billion contract through NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program to provide NASA with a vehicle capable of reaching ISS. Falcon 9 is part of a family of rockets that SpaceX is developing that could provide U.S. transportation to space since President Obama announced a new plan for NASA, which included canceling the Constellation program and the development of the Ares I rocket, the agency's spacecraft to replace the shuttle. Instead, Obama's plan is to rely on the commercial space industry, companies like SpaceX and Orbital Science Corporation, to develop rockets for transportation and until they are ready the U.S. will have to buy rides off the Russians. Allowing commercial companies to build rockets for low earth orbit will enable NASA to focus on developing a spacecraft for missions to the moon, asteroids, and eventually Mars.

Many critics fear that commercial companies will undergo the same budge issues and schedule push-backs as NASA's Constellation program, the reason Obama wants it terminated. Skeptics also fear that commercial rockets would not be as safe and reliable as a government-built vehicle. The success of Falcon 9 today shows promise that the commercial industry can get the job done.

Yesterday the Obama administration announced it's 2010 budget for NASA, which scraps plans to return to the moon by 2020 and focuses on using commercial companies to ferry astronauts into orbit. NASA has wasted no time in pushing ahead with this plan, awarding $50 million to five different companies for the development of concepts and technology for human spaceflight.

The money was awarded through an open competition for funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009. Blue Origin, based in Kent, WA, will receive $3.7 million; the Boeing Company of Houston will receive $18 million; Paragon Space Development Corporation of Tucson, AZ, will receive $1.4 million; Sierra Nevada Corporation, based in Louisville, CO, will receive $20 million; and United Launch Alliance of Centennial, CO, will received $6.7 million.

The awards are the first step in NASA's investment in commercial human spaceflight. In 2008 the agency awarded Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) a $1.6 billion contract to provide a launch vehicle capable of reaching the space station. The contract was for a cargo-carrying spacecraft, with an option of developing a version for crew.

The White House's initial budget proposal has allocated $500 million in 2011 financial year for commercial crew concepts, and $312 million for commercial cargo development. In the 2012 financial year commercial crew expenditure is expected to increase to $1.4 billion.

SpaceX engineers work on the Dragon spacecraft. Credit: SpaceX

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), a private company based in Hawthorne, CA, announced last week that its rocket, Falcon 9, is ready for its first test flight.

Aboard the rocket will be the company's Dragon capsule, a spacecraft designed to carry both cargo and crew, which is being developed under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. Earlier this year, SpaceX won a $1.6 billion contract to provide the agency with a vehicle capable of reaching the International Space Station (ISS).

SpaceX has not set a launch date, but the rocket will be sent to the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, FL, in November. It could be anywhere from one to three months before it lifts off.

The test flight will gather valuable aerodynamic and performance data on both the rocket and the Dragon spacecraft.

Falcon 9 is part of a family of launch vehicles SpaceX is developing that could help fill a gap in U.S. space transportation. The space shuttles are expected to retire in 2010 and NASA's next launch vehicle, Ares, is not scheduled to be ready for flight until 2015. The commercial vehicles could also help reduce spaceflight costs for the U.S. government.

SpaceX initially began developing its rockets for space tourism and for launching scientific and commercial satellites into orbit. While it has successfully flown a previous rocket, Falcon 1, the maiden flight of Falcon 9 has been hit with delays (this is not unusual for a rocket designed from scratch).

The company's contract with NASA is for 12 flights of cargo to the space station starting at the end of 2010. Prior to that, SpaceX has to conduct three demonstration missions. This first flight is not one of the NASA demo missions.

SpaceX will deliver the cargo using its Dragon spacecraft, which the company says could be easily modified to carry crew, an option that is in the company's COTS contract, but something that NASA has not yet opted for.

While a handful of other commercial companies, including Orbital Sciences, which has received a COTS contract to carry cargo to ISS, are trying to develop launch capabilities, SpaceX is ahead of its competitors.

Falcon 9 on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex in Florida. Credit: SpaceX