SpaceX Launches Falcon 1 With A Little Glitch

SpaceX Launches Falcon 1 With A Little Glitch

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SpaceX finally sent its low-cost Falcon 1 rocket into space from a Pacific island launch pad on Tuesday — after last year's unsuccessful launch and two aborted attempts.

One of those attempts was aborted earlier in the day, just as the engine was being fired up for liftoff. The rocket was quickly recycled for a second try a little more than an hour later. The two-stage, semi-reusable rocket made it into space — but the second stage went into an unstable roll and did not make it to its intended orbit, said the company's millionaire founder, Elon Musk.

"It's been a pretty nerve-wracking day," he told reporters.

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I think it's fantastic that private industry is giving such a boost to the space race. It won't be long until NASA can just buy the launch services it needs from private vendors like Elon Musk.

I can't wait till Bigalow has a destination in orbit for tourists to go to.

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