After several postponements, the maiden launch of the Falcon 1 rocket has been tentatively rescheduled for a late March lift-off by private space company Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX).
SpaceX is internet tycoon Elon Musk鈥檚 foray into the commercial space business and has already racked up millions of dollars鈥� worth of launch contracts. Musk鈥檚 goal is to reduce the cost of rocket launches by a factor of 10 in order to make space-faring an affordable endeavour, and as reliable as possible.
The California-based company says it can launch a Falcon 1 vehicle to low Earth orbit for less than $7 million. In a 24 February online launch update, Musk writes: 鈥淭he tentative launch window for the maiden flight of Falcon 1 is March 20 through 25.鈥�
Advertisement
Plans call for the two-stage Falcon 1 to blast off from the company鈥檚 Kwajalein launch site on Omelek Island in the western Pacific carrying a small satellite named FalconSAT-2, designed by US Air Force Academy cadets. Two other Falcon 1 launches, including one from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, US, remain on SpaceX鈥檚 books for 2006.
The company also has launches for its Falcon 9 heavy lift vehicle scheduled for 2007 and 2008. That vehicle鈥檚 first stage will use nine SpaceX Merlin engines as compared with the Falcon 1鈥檚 single engine. Falcon 9鈥檚 upper stage will use a further Merlin engine while the Falcon 1鈥檚 second stage relies on another type of SpaceX engine, called a Kestrel. A medium lift booster, Falcon 5, completes the family.
Leaky tank
More than two years have passed since SpaceX unveiled the Falcon rocket during the centennial celebrations of the Wright brothers鈥� historic flight. But the launch vehicle has yet to get off the ground; the company has scrubbed three launch attempts since November 2005 due to technical glitches.
Musk says a small leak was found in the rocket鈥檚 second stage tank following the latest launch attempt on 10 February. This tank is going to be replaced before the next launch.
The launch also depends on a shipment of liquid oxygen (LOX) from Hawaii. 鈥淥bviously, long term operations on Kwajalein will require that we install a state-of-the-art, high reliability LOX plant on site,鈥� Musk says.
Static fire
SpaceX carried out a static fire test (pictured) as a pre-flight systems check the day after its scrubbed February attempt. Musk says the static fire was 鈥渞eally helpful鈥� and will be repeated prior to the late March launch attempt.
Watch a brief video of the test .
The company will also undergo an additional systems review with NASA, the US Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) next month.
Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 and is the company鈥檚 chief executive and technical officer. He is best known for co-founding the electronic payment system PayPal, which was acquired by eBay in October 2002 for $1.5 billion.
