Dragon is in orbit!

[The_Assimilator]

Nothing on news sites yet, but from the Twitters:

elonmusk Falcon flew perfectly!! Dragon in orbit, comm locked and solar arrays active!! Feels like a giant weight just came off my back
8 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
NASAKennedy SpaceX Dragon is now in orbit after successful launch this morning. twitpic.com/9nx6mo
11 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
SpaceX Our live webcast is now complete. Thanks for tuning in. #DragonLaunch
12 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
SpaceX Solar arrays deploying #DragonLaunch spacex.com
16 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
NASAKennedy The Dragon capsule's nose cone has been jettisoned and the Falcon 9 is performing well.
22 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
SpaceX Stage separation #DragonLaunch spacex.com
24 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
SpaceX Dragon has passed Max Q #DragonLaunch spacex.com
25 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
SpaceX Liftoff!!!! #DragonLaunch spacex.com

I watched the liftoff live via SpaceX's webcast. Hearing the mission control guys and audience clapping as each stage succeeded, then start cheering like crazy when the solar panels deployed... it's been a while since I've felt so much joy and optimism for humankind.

*edit*

Space.com:

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A private space capsule called Dragon soared into the predawn sky Tuesday, riding a pillar of flame like its beastly namesake on a history-making trip to the International Space Station.

The unmanned capsule, built by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), is the first non-governmental spacecraft to launch to the space station, ushering in a new era of partnership between the public and private spaceflight programs.

...

Orbital catch up

The spacecraft is due to spend its first day on orbit catching up with the 240-mile high (390 km) space station, where it will rendezvous Thursday (May 24) and perform a fly-by to within 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) to check its navigation systems. [Quiz: How Well Do You Know SpaceX's Dragon?]

On Friday (May 25), the capsule is slated to perform a series of maneuvers to approach the station, with crewmembers onboard the outpost issuing commands to Dragon. If the spacecraft passes a set of "go-no go" checks at Mission Control in Houston, NASA will approve the vehicle to approach the International Space Station. From inside, astronauts Don Pettit and Andre Kuipers will use the lab's robotic arm to grab Dragon and berth it to the station's Harmony node.

The hatches between the two spacecraft are due to be opened early Saturday (May 26), so the crew can enter Dragon and unpack its deliveries.

Dragon is due to spend about a week and a half attached to the outpost. On May 31, the capsule will be packed with completed science experiments and other equipment, unberthed, and sent back toward Earth. The vehicle is equipped with a heat shield to withstand the fires of re-entry, and is due to splash down and be recovered by ship in the Pacific Ocean.

 

[Skywalker42]

Proudly South African !!

Elon Musk (born June 28, 1971) is a South African born inventor, engineer and entrepreneur best known for co-founding SpaceX, Tesla Motors and X.com, which later became Paypal.