Musk Elated At Data From Falcon 1 Liftoff

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk isn’t feeling quite so sheepish about being awarded this year’s American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics award for outstanding contribution to the field of space flight after reviewing the data of the Falcon 1 launcher’s first successful flight on Sept. 28. Musk received the award two weeks before the flight, which followed three unsuccessful launch attempts. The goal for the initial insertion after Falcon 1’s liftoff from Omelek Island on Kwajalein atoll was 330 kilometers altitude and 9.0 degree inclination. Musk says the actual performance showed Falcon 1 achieved a 330.5 kilometer altitude at 8.99 deg. inclination. “So this was right on target,” he says of the Merlin 1C engine’s performance. It was... [read full story]