Space Shuttle Endeavour Launch Live Thread (05/16/11 8:56 EDT)

Thanks for posting that. Here’s a little blurb I wrote from in formation on the SpaceX website:

A company called SpaceX is developing a manned capsule-type spacecraft called the Dragon as part of NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services or COTS program. Currently SpaceX has received 298 million dollars and has achieved 25 of 29 COTS milestones. After its final demonstration flight, SpaceX will begin flights to carry cargo to and from the International Space Station under a NASA contract. On December 8, 2010, SpaceX became the first commercial company in history to launch, fly, land and recover a spacecraft from Earth orbit. SpaceX’s first COTS demonstration mission blasted off Cape Canaveral orbited Earth twice, entered the Earth’s atmosphere, and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. Launching, orbiting and recovering a spacecraft until now has been a feat accomplished by only six nations or government agencies. NASA has awarded the company 75 million dollars to develop a launch escape system that would allow the spacecraft to carry astronauts. The design of the escape system is integrated with the capsule instead of being installed on a tower that must be jettisoned. This provides increased safety and should allow Dragon to land anywhere on Earth. After the Space Shuttle retires, NASA will be totally dependent on the Russian Soyuz to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station at a cost of 63 million dollars per seat. Dragon can carry 7 astronauts to the space station at a cost of 20 million dollars per seat. SpaceX has trained 25 astronauts on the Dragon spacecraft so far.

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