Things were slow for me today at work so I decided to follow the potential launching of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. I had been getting updates all morning from the @ExploreSpaceKSC Twitter account all morning on the status of the launch. There were a few issues that delayed the launch twice. According to Space.com the original 11 a.m. EDT launch was delayed due to "a blocked signal from the rocket's telemetry system, which enables the launch team to track the vehicle from afar." The next launch attempt at 1:30 p.m. EDT was aborted at T-1 second. According to the Falcon 9 webcast this was an automated abort made by the on-board systems due to a launch parameter being out of range. At 2:30 p.m. EDT the T-15 minute countdown restarted. At 2:45 p.m. EDT The main engines ignited and succesfully cleared the tower. At T+00:09:04 Falcon 9 achieved Earth Orbit.
This was an important step forward for SpaceX. They have a $1.6 Billion contract on the line with NASA for manned and un-manned flights of the Falcon 9 to the International Space Station. According to the SpaceX website they are expected to have an un-manned flight to the ISS sometime next year. However, there appears to be many milestones for them to achieve before that. Since the maiden flight of Falcon 9 was supposed to be last year I wouldn't be surpised if the ISS resupply mission is delayed until 2012.
Regardless of SpaceX's schedule, today's achievment gave space geeks like myself something to look forward to in the coming years. With the Space Shuttle fleet retiring by the end of this year the American public needed some good news regarding the potential of America-based manned space launches.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Maiden Flight: Second stage engine burn
Update 2010-06-09 HD video of the launch is now available here: http://spacex.com/multimedia/videos.php?id=5