Digital Sprocket

Space Exploration Technologies will attempt to launch their Falcon 1 during a window between March 19th and 22nd. This launch attempt is labeled Demo Flight 2 after last year’s inaugural flight that ended in fire and destruction of the vehicle. The Merlin engine will boost the rocket from Omelek Island in the Kwajalein Atoll. After separation, the first stage will parachute into the Pacific Ocean to await recovery and reuse for later flights.

If the flight is successful, SpaceX is positioned to launch at least three paying payloads this year alone. In the face of last year’s failure, the company has already demonstrated robustness stronger than most previous commercial spaceflight operations. The Conestoga rocket, developed during the Reagan era, was the first privately financed commercial launch vehicle. When it blew up on it’s maiden flight, the insurers got nervous and pulled their policy. This lack of confidence, and the enduing financial difficulties ended the program before a second launch attempt. With their second vehicle at the Omelek launch facility, SpaceX has already surpassed Conestoga’s achievements.

SpaceX’s launch at the end of March is just the first in a tight cluster of Upcoming launches. Bigelow Aerospace is expecting to place Genesis II, their second sub-scale inflatable test habitat, in the beginning of April. That month will also see a Soyuz launch to the ISS carrying space tourist, Charles Simonyi. Shuttle flight STS-117 is scheduled for no earlier than April 20th, and will add new solar arrays and complete other construction jobs on the ISS.