Chasing the Dragon

SpaceX's Dragon successfully docked with the ISS today. Making the number of private spacecraft that have docked with the ISS go from 0 in 113 to 1 in 114. Infinitely better.

This really is a big deal. In order for space to open up there needs to be reliable transportation up and down. Since the Shuttle was retired there were only three rockets that could send things up to the ISS and one that could take things back down. Now there are four that can go up, and two that can bring things down.

Also a few other companies are planning on getting in on the act by 2015, 2017 at the latest. By 2020 when the ISS is retired any ideas for a replacement, government sponsored or private, will have a choice of supply vessels. Also they will be able to plan on using others as backup.

Companies wanting to work in space won't be limited to Government Programs whose budgets are determined by the by the whims of people who may or may not know anything about space.

So while the Dragon has gone where 113 missions have gone before. It did something much more important. It has opened up the era of private space missions. Allowing space operations to expand exponentially.

I think Elon Musk has reason to be “puff”ed up in pride.

By Darrell B. Nelson author of I KILLED THE MAN THAT WASN'T THERE