Falcon 9's third launch attempt targeted for Monday (5:41pm EST/2:41pm PST)

SpaceFlightNow.com ^ | 02DEC2013 | SFN

[Moonman62]

They've successfully launched and returned a cargo ship to the ISS. They've now successfully launched a geosynchronous satellite. Their Grasshopper test rocket is impressive, and by next year they'll have the world's heaviest payload lift capability. They are doing this at a lower cost than anybody else.

They are beginning to dominate the launch schedule, too.

[Jack Hydrazine]

They are even beating the Chinese on price and the Chinese can’t figure out how.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Replay of the launch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXEJLhAh-Kg

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks JH. Kudos on pointing out that SpaceX has the lowest cost per pound to orbit *in the world*. The engineering going on there is making more headway in solving aerospace problems than anyone has since the Von Braun era. One article mentioned how they’d gone to other companies with experience to see if they’d build this or that needed component, and the prices were crazy high (by SpaceX standards); as the gubmint customers went into hiatus, the same companies went back to SpaceX and offered to do it for a lower price — too late, we’ve done it ourselves, and at our target cost. The reaction outside SpaceX has been, well, these problems are no so easy to solve and they must be cutting corners, it will come back to bite them in the ass.

[Jack Hydrazine]

This proves again that those companies that are on the government dole innovate the least and charge the most while small, free enterprise aerospace businesses are leaders in innovation and design.

This post-Thanksgiving launch goes hand-in-hand with the holiday because they both show state capitalism/collectivism loses to individual, free enterprise capitalism every time.

[Moonman62]

They are even beating the Chinese on price and the Chinese can’t figure out how.

Slave labor doesn't work well for rocket science.

[3D-JOY]

I guess I did not see this in time to respond today. I did know the time and again, and again, today had my radio on and cold drink in hand while I waited to see it “fly”!

This was a spectacular sight...after sunset at sea level and sunshine above for the flight.

Sound took about 4 1/2 minutes to reach me but was substantial and added to the second stage flight.

I love living here!!

[Vince Ferrer]

Kudos on pointing out that SpaceX has the lowest cost per pound to orbit *in the world*.

It will get even better once they have a fully reusable first stage.

Jeff Bezos of Amazon is flying under the radar as well building a reusable launch vehicle. He, and the British SABER space plane, are the only competition right now.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Wish I could have been there!

[SunkenCiv]

There’s also the man who *has* no competition:

http://www.scaled.com/

He retired (sort of) just a couple of years ago.
http://www.burtrutan.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Burt-Rutan/76644178784

[dragnet2]

>>>>>Thanks JH. Kudos on pointing out that SpaceX has the lowest cost per pound to orbit *in the world*. The engineering going on there is making more headway in solving aerospace problems than anyone has since the Von Braun era. One article mentioned how they’d gone to other companies with experience to see if they’d build this or that needed component, and the prices were crazy high (by SpaceX standards); as the gubmint customers went into hiatus, the same companies went back to SpaceX and offered to do it for a lower price — too late, we’ve done it ourselves, and at our target cost.<<<<<

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[3D-JOY]

Come anytime there is a launch!