Tag: Bigelow Aerospace
Yesterday Was A Big Day For SpaceX
By Ryan Marquis April 9, 2016 April 9, 2016 46BLYZ, Uncategorized
Yesterday was a big day for Elon Musk and his space launch services company SpaceX. On April 9, 2016, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. The rocket was topped with the company's Dragon capsule, filled with 7,000 pounds of supplies destined for the International Space Station. Included in the payload was the 3,100 pound Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), Bigelow Aerospace's attempt to demonstrate its expandable space habitats.
SpaceX CRS-8 Mission Patch – Source: SpaceX
The highlight of the mission, designated CRS-8, was SpaceX's first successful landing of its Falcon 9 rocket on a droneship (christened "Of Course I Still Love You") in the Atlantic Ocean. This feat is something SpaceX had tried and failed four times previously. SpaceX has successfully landed its Falcon 9 on land, but that challenge paled in comparison to a landing on a barge being tossed around by Atlantic currents.
SpaceX has put a huge emphasis on making its programs efficient and reusable. Their hope is that their methods will drive down the costs of putting people and equipment into orbit and beyond, and make launches much more common. Friday's successful landing of the Falcon 9 was a huge step in that direction.
All in all, Friday's success should serve as an important milestone in space exploration. It also highlights the ever increasing transfer of space access from governments to commercial industries.
Check out the amazing video below, of the Falcon 9 landing on 'Of Course I Still Love You'.
Dragon will arrive at the ISS tomorrow, April 10.
Tagged BEAM, Bigelow Aerospace, Dragon capsule, Falcon 9, ISS, SpaceX