Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has become the first commercial company to launch a spacecraft mission to the International Space Station.
SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket at 3:44am Eastern time today, from its launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The rocket is carrying a Dragon spacecraft which will now be subjected to a series of tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the station.
“I would like to start off by saying what a tremendous honor it has been to work with NASA,” said SpaceX CEO and chief designer Elon Musk at the press conference following the launch, “and to acknowledge the fact that we could not have started SpaceX, nor could we have reached this point without the help of NASA… It’s really been an honor to work with such great people.”
The vehicle’s first stage performed nominally before separating from the second stage. The second stage successfully delivered the Dragon spacecraft into its intended orbit. This marks the third consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch and the fifth straight launch success for SpaceX.
“We obviously have to go through a number of steps to berth with the Space Station, but everything is looking really good and I think I would count today as a success no matter what happens with the rest of the mission,” said Musk.
“This mission heralds the dawn of a new era of space exploration, one in which there is a significant commercial space element,” Musk continued. “It is like the advent of the Internet in the mid-1990s when commercial companies entered what was originally a government endeavor. That move dramatically accelerated the pace of advancement and made the Internet accessible to the mass market. I think we’re at a similar inflection point for space. I hope and I believe that this mission will be historic in marking that turning point towards a rapid advancement in space transportation technology.”
