Monday, June 14, 2010

SpaceX Wins Satellite Contract

Hawthorne-based SpaceX, on the heels of the firm's successful launch of its Falcon 9 rocket, announced over the weekend that it has signed a contract with the National Space Organization (NSPO) to launch an Earth Observation Satellite, Formosat-5. Financial scope of the launch contract was not announced. Space Exploration Technologies said that the Formosat-5 satellite will be used for an image data service for civilian users, and also for space research and scientific experiment instruments. Formosat-5 is being developed by the civilian space agency of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and is expected to launch as early as December 2013. SpaceX said it now has over 40 flights on its manifest. SpaceX is the commercial rocket venture of PayPal co-founder Elon Musk, who also heads up high visibility electric car firm Tesla Motors.

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