Things Change: Falcon 1 Launch Success!!

MSNBC.com is reporting the successful launch of the low-cost Falcon 1 orbital delivery system.

This comes just hours after an aborted launch attempt due to a "communications glitch."

Although the second stage did tumble into a half-orbit, the rocket reached an altitude of 187+ miles, officially reaching space and proving its concept was sound.

Elon Musk said it was likely the company would proceed with scheduled launches later this year.

Falcon 1 Fails Again

The most recent launch of Falcon 1 failed, most likely due to a communications glitch. As the Associated Press reports in this story at CNN.com, Space Exploration Technologies has yet to launch its low-cost alternative to orbit.

A previous attempt failed moments after lift-off.

Even their technological approach, an oxygen-kerosene formula, seems a little haphazard when compared to the nitrogen and rubber favored by SpaceDev and SpaceShip One builders, Scaled Composites.

But Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, is no dummie. He has the right idea, and though the process may be slow, tedious and highly destructive, in the long run the payoff is great.

So what if it costs a few rockets?