How a Falcon Carried a Dragon Into the Future
22 May 2012, 17:05 UTC
In the dark hours before dawn this morning, Tuesday May 22, 2012, history was once again made along Florida’s warm and humid space coast. After a series of extensions and delays — and even one literal last-second scrub — SpaceX successfully launched its Dragon capsule aboard a Falcon 9 rocket… a trailblazing event that opens the doors of our nation’s future in space!
The event was broadcast live online from several sources including NASA TV and SpaceX’s own website. If you weren’t awake at 3:44 a.m. EDT, the footage of the launch from SpaceX is above, including their live mission control voiceovers (and no small amount of audible enthusiasm from their team!)
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch on May 22, 2012 at 3:44 am EDT
It was a beautiful launch, and the excitement felt by everyone watching — in person as well as online — could be felt, no matter where you were.
Shortly after the launch, Dragon separated from the Falcon 9 and successfully deployed its solar arrays — a key step in the mission.
The Dragon capsule contains 674 pounds (305 kg) of supplies and provisions for the Expedition 31 crew aboard the ISS, which it is scheduled to ...
