SpaceX's First Official Cargo Resupply Mission to the ISS - Launch Webcast

One of the best things to happen during this launch is that an engine exploded. You can see engine 1 eat itself at 1:31 in this video:<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRTYh71D9P0&#38;feature=youtu.be" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRTYh71D9P0&#38;feature=youtu...</a><p>[Edit: First the video was public, then it was made private, now it seems to be "unlisted" but viewable. So no guarantee that it'll still be there in another minute...]<p>Why is this a good thing? Because it proves a point: the rocket automatically adjusted its trajectory, and continued on its course as if nothing had happened.<p>The Falcon 9 is the first American rocket since the Saturn 5 with an engine-out capability. Its multiple symmetrically-arrayed engines allow for it to compensate for a sudden loss of thrust from one side: the other side reduces thrust as well to stay balanced, and everything else just burns a little bit longer. That was the theory, anyways. Today they put it into practice.<p>For any other rocket that you've seen launched in the last 35 years, that would have ended the mission catastrophically -- but the Falcon shrugged it off like nothing had happened. They always said they could do that, and now they've done it. Congratulations, SpaceX! Creating a fault-tolerant rocket is <i>much</i> better than creating a faultless one (since that's impossible).<p>[Edit]: In the absence of the video, the engine anomaly is being widely reported on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/spaceteam/status/255128401927610368" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/spaceteam/status/255128401927610368</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/visionik/status/255128010653593600" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/visionik/status/255128010653593600</a>

I have a favour to ask of HN.<p>I'm responsible for webcasting Copenhagen Suborbitals launches, and we're having a lot of great discussions about what works and what doesn't in a live webcast of a launch. We obviously want our webcasts to be as interesting as possible, and so I'd like to ask you a question:<p>What do you think could be done better in this Space X webcast? Is there something you're missing? Something you think would be cool? Something that's bothering you? Are the speakers good? Why?<p>I'm sure we can learn a lot by asking potential viewers what they think, and implement it for next summers launches.<p>And good luck to SpaceX!

Serious question -- in the past, when NASA wanted to launch a rocket, they would contract with a commercial company such as Lockheed, Douglass, or some similar. Now they contract with companies such as SpaceX. Why is this considered a commercial / private space launch, but the others in the past were considered government funded? NASA is paying for the launches in either case. Or is it the level of involvement and control that NASA has in this case?

I watched this launch live with my children under the giant maple tree in front of our library. I was surprised when they called me out on my predictions of the timing for first and second stage separation. They are learning from this. I love that my daughter, who wants to be a scientist, could watch Gwynne Shotwell comment on the launch afterward and know that she is a world-class engineering executive. On the way home, my son spotted a home with a new rack of solar panels on the roof and a fresh Solar City sign planted in the yard. And my kids are dreaming of getting Teslas for their first cars. What an amazing set of accomplishments set into motion by one great founder.

Yay! SpaceX scores again, congratulations to Elon Musk and the whole team there.<p>Every time I watch one of these I feel that I'm watching history being made. And I wished I could stop holding my breath through the last 20 seconds or so. I also feel like I'm 6 years old again.

Another awesome SpaceX launch, very nice. Instead of hats and t-shirts from the SpaceX store I'd love to see them offer that 'launch workstation config' (three monitors, wrap around table) I'd get one of those for my lab in a heartbeat.

Wow, they're going to land the ignition rockets in future launches! That's great and sounds like it would be cheaper than the NASA space shuttle. Can't even begin to imagine the amazing feedback control that'll go on in that thing.

The condensed gas that we see shooting off perpendicular to the side of the rocket, in 2 locations near the top - what is that?

We have liftoff and in orbit... Nice! I got nervous. Best tech news since Curiousity =)

Is this supposed to work on iPad? It taunts me with the promise of a QuickTime-looking play button, which unfortunately doesn't actually do anything when I press it.

it was so unbelievably beautiful, how the rain caught the rocket's glow. what a beautiful way to leave the earth

Launch webcast begins in T-1 hour!

This is absolutely fascinating, like being an astronaut without leaving my desk!

Congrats to SpaceX on a successful launch and a great webcast!

anyone know what that background tune is?

Congratulations, exciting