SpaceX Launches New Canadian Satellite
SpaceX launched a more powerful and well-equipped Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday, which placed a new Canadian satellite into space along with five other smaller payloads used for research. The company plans to use the new rocket to carry astronauts more easily to the space station.
According to CBS News, the SpaceX Falcon version 9v1.1 comes with better engines, brand new payload, triply flight computer system, longer phase of the initial stage so as to take care of bigger propellant tanks and improved payload capability so as to encourage its reliability and safety level. The rocket measures 224 feet tall with simpler mechanisms for its stage attachment.
SpaceX made the Sunday launch as a demo flight so to test what the improved Falcon 9 rocket can do, Detroit News reported. It is counted as the third in the launches made straight from the Vandenberg base all within this week.
Aside from the launch of tiny satellites, the Space X is part of a $1.6 billion contract together with NASA in making 12 missions that are unmanned so as to restock the space station. All in all, SpaceX has already done three flights into the orbiting lab.
BBC mentioned that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was very satisfied with how everything turned out well. "It was a great day and we accomplished all of our primary mission objectives," he emphasized. SpaceX employees gathered round at the Hawthorne factory in California as everyone cheered and applauded with the successful launch.
SpaceX thought of developing the Falcon 9 as a commercial venture so as to encourage both military and civilian satellites to space along with Dragon cargo ships that will carry supplies and various equipment back and forth the International Space Station. Protective panels were added to the newest version, placed in between the engines so as to avoid a ruined engine from causing damage to another.