Page 42 - World Airnews Magazine July Edition 2020

SPACE

SPACEX LEADS US RETURN

a true space civilization and to make at fleet also includes the Falcon Heavy, which
least some progress in helping to extend enjoyed a rock concert-like maiden launch in
t took two attempts, but SpaceX has life beyond Earth,” Musk said during the 2018 that sent an all-electric vehicle from one

Imade history as the fi rst privately owned interview. “Along the way, the necessary of Musk’s other ventures, Tesla, into orbit.
company ever to launch human beings into thing that needs to be done is to provide SpaceX is supported by Musk and fellow

space. On Saturday afternoon at approx- launching at a much lower cost and make investors, but ultimately enabled by NASA,

imately 3:22 p.m. EST, SpaceX sent NASA it much more reliable, but we have to earn its longest and must supportive partner. This

astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to our way in that direction.” collaboration has been widely recognized as
critical not only for U.S. space interests, but

the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Musk returned for a follow-up interview also for U.S. industry and innovation.

a Crew Dragon capsule that was mounted 11 years later at the SATELLITE 2020 event “The use of a public-private partnership
this past March. During the interview, Musk
on a Falcon 9 rocket and launched from the said he was confident in the the Falcon 9’s between NASA and Space-X for today’s Demo-

Kennedy Space Center in Florida. ability to fulfill its manned-mission destiny 2 launch allows America to deploy start-up

SpaceX also successfully landed the and already knee-deep in work to realize the style technology – from automation to the use

Falcon 9’s first stage engine approximately company’s next dream goal: sending humans of virtual reality in training for this mission –

nine minutes after launch on the drone ship to Mars on its new stainless steel Starship while offering more independence and a rou-

Of Course I Still Love You. rocket — preferably during Musk’s lifetime. tine foothold in space for the United States,”

The mission, part of NASA’s Commercial “It is great that we are about to launch said Meg King, director of the Science and

Crew Program, represents the first time in people to orbit. It has been a long time — too Technology Innovation Program at The Wilson

nearly a decade that U.S. astronauts have long,” said Musk. “The rate of progress on the Center, a D.C. think tank. “It will certainly boost
launched from U.S. soil. Since the retirement Mars mission needs to accelerate dramati- interest by other nations to adopt similar mod-

of the Space Shuttle, NASA has been paying cally. I hope I am not dead when resettling on els and raises the ante for more investments

Russia for seats on Soyuz rockets in order to Mars happens. But, if we don’t improve our and missions beyond the ISS.”
send astronauts to the ISS. The launch was rate of progress, I will be. Unless we improve While continuing its mission to explore

originally scheduled for Wednesday, but our rate of innovation, we won’t be able to space, SpaceX will continue with plans to de-

delayed due to inclement weather, as a tor- have a base on the moon or a city on Mars.” ploy thousands of Low-Earth Orbit satellites
nado and storm warning was issued around Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 and almost as part of its Starlink constellation. Musk

2:00 p.m. EST and storm cells lingered. immediately faced derision for attempting said the constellation will bring broadband

Astronauts Behnken and Hurley docked to change an industry steeped in legacy. It connectivity to world populations that live

with the ISS on Sunday morning. They will took four years for Musk to roll out SpaceX’s in remote and unserved regions around

spend one to four months on the station first Falcon 1 rocket to the launch pad and the world. With OneWeb‘s recent Chapter

before returning to Earth. another two years before it finally achieved 11 bankruptcy, SES‘s O3b and Iridium‘s

SpaceX’s long and winding road to successful success. The company sent its first satellite constellations largely dedicated to mobile

crewed spaceflight hasn’t been easy, though RazakSAT — a Malaysian Earth Observation enterprise and government customers, and

it has always been considered the company’s (EO) satellite — into space one year later in dozens of satellites already launched, Star-

first and most important milestone. SpaceX July 2009. RazakSAT was the only satellite link maintains a comfortable position among

Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk con- ever to be launched on the Falcon 1. The first leading LEO constellation contenders. Q
firmed as much during an interview with Via successful Falcon 9 launch would occur the

Satellite in 2009. He said that the Falcon 9 was following year in 2010. The Falcon 9 would This article was originally published in Via

designed from the start to carry people. also go on to become the first reusable rocket Satellite, a sister publication to Avionics. It

“My long-term objective is to make us in history. Other than Starship, the SpaceX has been edited.
World Airnews | July 2020
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