Wednesday, October 21, 2009

SpaceX Test Fires Falcon 9 Rocket

Hawthorne-based SpaceX, the space rocket startup headed by former PayPal founder Elon Musk, and backed by Founders Fund and Draper Fisher Jurvetson, disclosed Wednesday that it has completed two successful test firings of its Falcon 9 launch vehicle. The firm said the testing was conducted twice this month, and are the first part of acceptance testing before launch in Cape Canaveral. Falcon 9 is SpaceX's newest rocket, and is part of an effort to meet a NASA contract to transport supplies to and from the International Space Station. The firm said the firm's first launch of the Falcon 9 from Canaveral will be a demonstration flight, and also be used to provide the firm with aerodynamic and performance information.

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