Wednesday, December 8, 2010

SpaceX Dragon Returns To Earth, After Successful Flight

Hawthorne-based SpaceX, the commercial rocket firm run by technology mogul Elon Musk, said that its Dragon module has successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. The return of the module completes the first, demonstration flight of the firm's technology for NASA, and makes it the first commercial company to return a spacecraft from low-earth orbit. SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral at 10:43 A.M. EST, and landed shortly after 2:00 P.M. EST off the coast of Mexico. The flight is the first successful flight under a NASA COTS program, which looks to develop commercial supply services for the International Space Station. SpaceX is looking to provide its technology to move cargo to-and-from the ISS.

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