Dragon could visit space station next

[n2doc]

Alan Boyle writes:After today's mind-blowingly successful maiden voyage, SpaceX's brand-new Dragon spaceship could conceivably be sent all they way to the International Space Station on its next trip, the program's NASA manager told reporters.

"What a historic day for commercial spaceflight," said Alan Lindenmoyer, who manages NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program. Today's Cape Canaveral launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon on top marked the first demonstration flight covered by the space agency's $500 million Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, also known as COTS.

During its three-hour, 20-minute flight, the 6-ton Dragon spacecraft made two circuits of the planet at an altitude of 182 miles (300 kilometers) and then splashed down right on target, 500 miles off the coast of Southern California -- thus becoming the first private-sector spacecraft to return safely from low Earth orbit.

Lindenmoyer said the flight showed that the four-year-old public-private approach to next-generation spaceflight was working. Data from the mission will be analyzed to fine-tune the Dragon and its launch vehicle for further tests.

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http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/08/5614525-dragon-could-visit-space-station-next

[NoNothing]

1. Maybe now the F9-Heavy will get a serious look

Especially since Ares is dead and Atlas is so pricey.

[MineralMan]

2. An excellent result!

Here's hoping for continued success with this.