Monday, March 10, 2008

Falcon 1 has operational payload on next Flight

Space Exploration Technologies has announced that it has signed a contract with the Department of Defense's Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office to carry their first Jumpstart mission payload onboard the upcoming Falcon 1 launch.

Scheduled for flight in June 2008 from the SpaceX launch complex in the Central Pacific Marshall Islands' Kwajalein Atoll, the Jumpstart mission aims to establish a preliminary framework for responsive contracting, and to demonstrate the ability to rapidly integrate and execute a mission, from initial call-up to launch.

SpaceX will demonstrate its ability to perform responsive mission integration for three separate candidate ORS payloads. The actual flight payload will be determined by the ORS Office at or before the SpaceX Flight Readiness Review for the Falcon 1 Flight 003 (F1-003) vehicle, which typically occurs two weeks before launch.

"In purchasing this flight, the Department of Defense's ORS Office has given SpaceX a tremendous endorsement," said Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX. "We look forward to demonstrating our ability to be a key ORS enabler with rapid and responsive call-up, integration and launch."

More from Space Travel HERE.

No comments: