Commercial space deliveries blast off

摘要

Private launch company Space X is set for the first commercial flight of its Falcon 1 rocket next week. rnFalcon 1 is a two-stage rocket powered by liquid oxygen and kerosene, which last September became the first privately built launcher to reach orbit. In next week's launch the rocket will place the Malaysian Earth observation satellite RazakSAT into an almost equatorial orbit. rnThe launch represents a major step towards routine commercial operations for Space X, which was created in 2002 by PayPal founder Elon Musk with the aim of slashing the cost of access to space. The company's heavy-lift Falcon 9 rocket is also due for launch later this year, as part of an agreement with NASA to demonstrate commercial cargo flights to the International Space Station.