mathoda.com

Today, September 28, 2008, a rocket developed by the private startup company SpaceX was launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific, and eight minutes later passed above the International Space Station.

Although NASA is quite capable of putting rockets into space, and Burt Rutan’s cleverly designed space plane Space Ship One previously reached the edge of space, this is the first privately owned company to develop and launch a rocket into space. It was actually the fourth attempt by SpaceX, which has pursued the goal with admirable persistence.

Here’s a video:

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=To-XOPgaGsQ

Finally NASA has some private competition (and a new supplier, since NASA is a customer of SpaceX).  As Burt Rutan, designer of Space Ship One, has explained, the rise of a private space industry is very important for the future of space exploration:

Link: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/burt_rutan_sees_the_future_of_space.html

SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk, who also founded a company that merged with Paypal and is chairman of electric car company Tesla Motors. SpaceX’s vision is to make space transportation ten times cheaper and more reliable. SpaceX’s rocket already is far less expensive than any equivalent government program: just $7.9 million. A portion of the rocket is designed to be reused after each launch, reducing potential cost further.

The door to space has just opened a bit wider …

Tesla Motors, creator of an all electric car, is creating a dealership in Los Angeles.  Near Santa Monica Boulevard & the 405.  I’m excited, even if I’m not quite ready to spend $98,000 for a 2 seat roadster.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-garagebriefs26may26,1,987834.story?track=rss

Elon Musk (wikipedia) is one of the most interesting entrepreneurs alive today. After creating Zip2 (sold to Compaq for $307m) and Paypal (sold to eBay for $1.5b), he’s kept busy. He financed and executive produced the rather hilarious libertarian movie Thank You For Smoking (imdb), and founded two remarkable companies:

Tesla Motors (my prior post; wikipedia; their website), a credible attempt at making an all electric car.

And

SpaceX, which is trying to create cheap rockets to help humanity finally get into space in a real way. Here’s an interesting profile of SpaceX: http://www.wired.com/science/space/magazine/15-06/ff_space_musk

Update, 6/20/07: Make that 3 companies. He’s also the founder and Chairman of SolarCity (http://www.solarcity.com/), a company that helps building owners or communities of homeowners install, finance and monitor roof mounted solar panel installations.