History is made today.
SkyMan
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The SpaceX capsule, Dragon, docked today with the International Space Station (ISS). It is the First time EVER that a commercial spacecraft has carried cargo in space. Clearly this is the start of a major new paradigm in Man's exploration (and hopefully eventual colonization) of space. For those of you that are interested in this sort of thing here is the SpaceX website:
SpaceX
Up until this point in time only governmental entities have ever done this sort of thing, and even in that case, not many governmental entities in total have done it; USA/NASA, the USSR/Russian Space Agency, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA). Currently, of the ISS partners, only the Russians have the capability to do Manned missions. If SpaceX continues to develop the Dragon as it plans to, it should have Manned spaceflight capability in 3ish years. (Also, the Chinese Space Agency has rendezvoused Manned spacecraft in orbit and returned them safely). An interesting aside about Dragon's capabilities is that it is the ONLY cargo spacecraft that has return (e.g. re-entry/landing) capabilities. This is an outgrowth of the fact that it will eventually carry humans, but it is also designed this way as a cost cutting measure, e.g. re-using the spacecraft instead of throwing it away. The Russian and Chinese manned spacecraft are obviously capable of returning, but their cargo carriers are not capable of returning. Neither ESA's or JAXA's cargo carriers are capable of surviving re-entry.
Post a numismatic item with an astronomical (Sun, Moon, Stars, Shuttle, spacesuited Man etc.), a Commercial or a Dragon motif in celebration of this event.
SpaceX
Up until this point in time only governmental entities have ever done this sort of thing, and even in that case, not many governmental entities in total have done it; USA/NASA, the USSR/Russian Space Agency, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA). Currently, of the ISS partners, only the Russians have the capability to do Manned missions. If SpaceX continues to develop the Dragon as it plans to, it should have Manned spaceflight capability in 3ish years. (Also, the Chinese Space Agency has rendezvoused Manned spacecraft in orbit and returned them safely). An interesting aside about Dragon's capabilities is that it is the ONLY cargo spacecraft that has return (e.g. re-entry/landing) capabilities. This is an outgrowth of the fact that it will eventually carry humans, but it is also designed this way as a cost cutting measure, e.g. re-using the spacecraft instead of throwing it away. The Russian and Chinese manned spacecraft are obviously capable of returning, but their cargo carriers are not capable of returning. Neither ESA's or JAXA's cargo carriers are capable of surviving re-entry.
Post a numismatic item with an astronomical (Sun, Moon, Stars, Shuttle, spacesuited Man etc.), a Commercial or a Dragon motif in celebration of this event.
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Comments
I think privatization of space flight has huge drawbacks, since all research benefits garnered by SpaceX will be proprietary. With NASA, we all got the benefit of their research.
I'd post a coin with a dragon on it but all of mine went to PCGS for the quarterly special...all none of them.
Lance.
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U.S. Type Set
<< <i>Cool!
I think privatization of space flight has huge drawbacks, since all research benefits garnered by SpaceX will be proprietary. With NASA, we all got the benefit of their research. >>
While we undoubtedly got public benefits from NASA, I am all for the private sector driving us forward, not the government.
U.S. Type Set
commercially.
<< <i>Pretty exciting! I knew you'd be following it closely.
I'd post a coin with a dragon on it but all of mine went to PCGS for the quarterly special...all none of them.
Lance. >>
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Elon Musk is the chief executive officer and chief designer of Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), which develops rockets and spacecraft for missions to Earth orbit and beyond.
Prior to SpaceX, Musk co-founded PayPal, the world's leading Internet payment system, and served as the company's Chairman and CEO.
Elon Musk (cool name) is a true genius!
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<< <i>Cool!
I think privatization of space flight has huge drawbacks, since all research benefits garnered by SpaceX will be proprietary. With NASA, we all got the benefit of their research. >>
Which is appropriate since we paid for NASA's research.
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces