I don't think we'll ever know how hard it was for a private space startup to convince NASA and the international community to let them dock with the ISS and to work with them to make it happen. Elon Musk is a legend.
I missed it and couldn't find the official recording yet, so here's a youtube of the launch:<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2_49KPj9jE" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2_49KPj9jE</a><p>And a few moments in the vid which really show how much it means to the team:<p>Solar panels deploying: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=e2_49KPj9jE#t=720s" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v...</a><p>The ground crew after the launch: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=e2_49KPj9jE#t=840s" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v...</a>
This is why I admire the USA. With all its faults, I can't imagine a startup like SpaceX happening in any other country on Earth today.<p>Well done, Americans! Be proud!<p>(non US citizen, fwiw)
It's amazing how exciting this is. It's not as if it's the first time humans have sent an automated delivery capsule into space, yet it feels like a game changing event.<p>Co-incidentally I read a post on HN this morning arguing that the iPhone wasn't special. We already had phones, and palm computers, and downloadable apps. It was no big deal.<p>In the case of both SpaceX and Apple thy've taken something that's existed already, but made it accessible. With SaceX the massively reduced costs has made dreams possible that we all thought were dead. With the iPhone they made a hand computer that my wife's sister, who's hardly ever used a computer in her life, could pick up and understand and fall in love with in minutes.<p>When you take an existing technology, but cut the barriers to entry radically lower (barriers in terms of cost, or usability, whatever) then you have something special. Amazon did this with online shopping, facebook did it with social networks (orkut was a clunky piece of junk - been there). Instagram did it with photo sharing, dropbox did it with file sharing.<p>Identify barriers, in whatever form you find them, and knock them flat. That's where the opportunities are.
I'm loving the little human touches in the webcast.<p>"And the next day is... <i>Hatch opening day!! YAY!!!</i>" <Does the Happy Dance><p>"Everything is, uh, go, so we're ready to rock'n'roll!!!"<p>I get the sense that the enthusiasm is completely unscripted.
In case anyone is tempted to purchase their own launch, here is the handy user guide. <a href="http://www.spacex.com/Falcon9UsersGuide_2009.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.spacex.com/Falcon9UsersGuide_2009.pdf</a>
This is a long read but worth the historical perspective, it's the Apollo 11 landing, annotated transcripts of the voice communications between mission control and the astronauts:<p><a href="http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/a11.landing.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/a11.landing.html</a>
It's interesting to see how long a lot of the people at SpaceX have been with SpaceX; it's different from most startups. People who had 20+ year careers with USAF or NASA before joining SpaceX back in 2003-2006, and have been there ever since.
Wow that was just fucking awesome in all ways. I really feel pumped up to go to space after watching that. Thank you SpaceX and Elon Musk for unlocking the next frontier.
>"Once in orbit, it will take three days for the Dragon to reach the ISS, and two >more days of pre-docking maneuvers to ensure everything is in order before >finally meeting the ISS on the fifth day of the mission. After nine days at the >station, the ISS crew will load the Dragon with return cargo which will be >recovered after the spacecraft splashes down in the Pacific ocean."<p><a href="http://www.geekosystem.com/spacex-iss-mission-tomorrow/" rel="nofollow">http://www.geekosystem.com/spacex-iss-mission-tomorrow/</a>
It was truly surreal to stand in the middle of a prairie about 120 miles from Cape Canaveral, have the live cast in the palm of my hand, and watch the rocket off in the distance.
It's getting exciting. Imagine if the moon landings would be taking place with today's mass communication capabilities. Hope I can live through the next such event (heck even an asteroid would do).
I was lucky to tune in about ten minutes before launch. I wasn't alive for the Apollo program, and I thought of our space efforts as a little lame as the shuttle program ratcheted down and finally expired over my lifetime.<p>This launch blew all of that away. I just have to figure out how to present it to my seven year old.<p>Godspeed and all the best, SpaceX.
Is the music they're playing during the countdown something identifiable? It's the kind of thing that's perfect for playing over and over for hours without getting repetitive.
Full high quality video of the entire hour long Webcast:<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-gSkGQnFR8" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-gSkGQnFR8</a>
Congratulations on the successful launch Elon and Team!<p>Guys, don't beat up other startups and people on what they are doing or will do.<p>Celebrate this for what it is.
The Washington Post article[1] on the launch comments on the the apparent cultural differences between NASA and SpaceX:<p><i>Many of the SpaceX controllers wore untucked T-shirts and jeans or even shorts, a stark contrast to NASA’s old suit-and-tie shuttle team.</i><p>[1] <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/private-rocket-maker-tries-again-to-launch-eager-to-begin-1st-private-space-station-delivery/2012/05/22/gIQACDhIhU_story.html?hpid=z2" rel="nofollow">http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/privat...</a>
Was watching the "live stream" but missed the countdown because somehow the video became 3 minutes delayed behind the actual time. Reloaded the page a couple of seconds into the launch.<p>I only noticed it because the Twitter feed updated correctly...<p>(Edit: Poking around some more it seems the problem occurs when changing the quality setting.)
Was the stream 720p or 480p? The reason I'm asking is that I have only found a 480p screencaptured recording of it, and I'd rather watch it in HD. Sadly I missed the live event :(<p>NasaTV has their own video at youtube, but I'd be more interested of the SpaceX version (apparently they were separate streams).
this is the best video so far from inside the crew in the mission control center <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QXzZBk3WaA" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QXzZBk3WaA</a> from here to eternity!
For those who lost the original webcast: <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/22/3035908/spacex-successful-iss-launch" rel="nofollow">http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/22/3035908/spacex-successful-...</a>
Gods that was fun. Just went through Wikipedia and updated all its articles to reflect that they're 3 for 3 on the Falcon 9. Such a raving fanboi over here.
I am moved again. For nothing, only the humans' advancement. I am a science fans since young. I always have a dream that humans make the colonies on the other planets. Maybe the space travel. However, it can not come true on our era.
Last, i really need a time machine to see the future. Really!
"Back to the future 1-3" impresses me very deep.