Washington D.C. — The Commercial Spaceflight Federation commends the hard work of the entire SpaceX and NASA teams in preparation for today’s launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the cargo to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft are celebrated for their historic and unprecedented track record within NASA’s Commercial Cargo Program, having previously completed six successful resupply missions. Today, the Falcon 9 rocket experienced an anomaly shortly before the first stage shutdown. SpaceX is conducting a full investigation.
“Failures are inevitable with new space launch systems,” reminded CSF President Eric Stallmer, “but what’s not inevitable is the amazing success of a track record that a commercial launch provider like SpaceX has and continues to enjoy. While today’s events remind us that there is still work to be done, we commend the team at SpaceX and NASA for their dedication to leveraging innovative commercial concepts designed to reduce the cost of access space. The private sector’s commitment to continually improving the capabilities and performance of their vehicles is undeniable, and I have no doubt that the team will resolve this issue in a timely manner.”
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Sirisha Bandla at sirisha@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.347.1418.
