Monday, August 4, 2008

SpaceX's Falcon 1 fails

SpaceX's Falcon 1 third attempt to launch a payload rocket into outer space failed this weekend, with launch control confirming an "anomaly" just five minutes after liftoff.

Elon Musk, SpaceX chairman and CEO, did admit that it was "obviously a big disappointment not to reach orbit on this Flight 3 of the Falcon 1," but he has assured the world that his firm won't be wasting any time feeling sorry for itself.

The Falcon 1 was carrying a minuscule satellite dubbed Trailblazer for the Pentagon's Operationally Responsive Space Office, though we've no idea how costly the loss was. Thankfully, we can all look forward to SpaceX trying again sometime in the future, but unless the tables turn in a hurry, we'd say the odds are still stacked against it.