The National Space Society (NSS) congratulates Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) on a successful first launch of their Falcon 9 rocket.
The launch payload for this test flight was the aerodynamic test article for the Dragon cargo and crew module.
Gary Barnhard, Executive Director of the National Space Society, said, “This is another milestone in the annals of spaceflight. By successfully launching a multi-engine, multi-stage rocket of their own design and manufacture with a payload to Low Earth Orbit, SpaceX has taken a bold step forward. Make no mistake about it, building rockets is not a forgiving business. Their successful flight is a testament to SpaceX’s concerted efforts to get it right. The eyes of the world were on them and they did get it right.”
The months and years to come will see the burgeoning use of multiple families of new launch vehicles — the Falcon 9 among them — for cargo transportation and, in time, crew transportation. This is necessarily integral to expanding our economic sphere — indeed our civilization — into the solar system.
Media contact:
Gary Barnhard, Executive Director
Phone: (202) 429-1600
E-mail: nsshq@nss.org
About the National Space Society
The National Space Society (NSS) is an independent, grassroots, non-profit organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. Founded in 1974, NSS is widely acknowledged as the preeminent citizen’s voice on space. NSS counts thousands of members and more than 50 chapters in the United States and around the world. The society also publishes Ad Astra magazine, an award-winning periodical chronicling the most important developments in space; and hosts the annual International Space Development Conference, among other activities. For more information about NSS, visit www.nss.org.
