The next time you hear someone bemoan how President Obama is destroying the American Way Of Life by nationalizing the healthcare, banking, and auto industries ( AS IF! ), tell them about SpaceX’s historic test launch of June 4, 2010.
The SpaceX Falcon Series
The Falcon 9, by the SpaceX Corporation, is designed to bring commercial payloads to and from the International Space Station (ISS).
In 2007, SpaceX posted the following text about its plans to participate in the private, for-profit commercialization of the domestic space industry. “Domestic” means those missions that are relatively close to earth, primarily cargo and staff transport to the ISS.
“With the government acting as a catalyst, the commercial spaceflight industry is already developing into an exciting new driver of technological innovation, job creation and economic growth. A recent industry survey by the Commercial Spaceflight Federation projects that more than 5,000 direct jobs, including jobs in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Texas, and Virginia, would be created over the next five years if the NASA proposal is approved. Thousands of additional jobs would be created indirectly.
“Commercial transport of both supplies and our astronauts is a safe, reliable and cost-effective way to continue NASA’s manned flights to the vitally important Space Station after the Space Shuttle program ends. A Commercial Crew program would support full utilization of the Space Station, reduce U.S. reliance on Russia to launch American astronauts, and allow NASA to focus its resources on exploration beyond low-Earth-orbit (LEO).
“We look forward to Congressional approval of the NASA budget proposal.”
Here’s video of the launch.
Detailed information about the Falcon 9 craft and its Merlin engines can be found on their website: http://www.spacex.com/falcon9.php
Their price list is as follows:
Mission Type and Price
- LEO (s/c<80% capacity to the customer orbit) $45.8 mm
- LEO (s/c>80% capacity to the customer orbit) $51.5 mm
- GTO (s/c<3,000 kg) $45.8 mm
- GTO (s/c up to 4,680 kg $51.5 mm
The Obama Administration has since proceeded with this plan to commercialize Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) space work, and now SpaceX has demonstrated that its commercial space transport system is functional. Far from socializing the space program, the Obama Administration is making good on the promise of the commercial, for-profit, privatized exploitation of space. And, labor and workplace issues are also moving into space with this launch.
