SpaceX update

[Grendal]

SpaceX just landed a Japanese satellite launch for 2015. I get the feeling the ball may be rolling now and we may see SpaceX's manifest growing even more in the coming months.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/01/10/spacex-awarded-japanese-comsat-launch-contract/

Now that SpaceX has had two successful GTO launches under their belt, I think the floodgates are open. I agree that SpaceX will quickly become the go-to company for getting your hardware into orbit. And soon it will be the go-to company for getting your astronauts into orbit as well.

SpaceX Awarded Launch Contract for Leading Asia-Pacific Satellite Operator | SpaceX

And I can't say this enough, if reusability comes online then SpaceX will be the only company you would go to. If they are successful, I wonder how long it will be for someone else to design their launch vehicles with the same ability? Is it even possible? There has to be an efficiency factor that tips the scale. Elon always said that success versus failure was one or two percent. Elon seems confident that it can be done and he is running the numbers.

 

[Lessmog]

I recall the same discussion. Since the ultimate goal is mars, then chasing the next quarter is incompatible. But it may be self-funding now with NASA, private and potentially military launches for low cost. The skys are going to get pretty crowded.

Duh. Quarters are mooney. Mars is bars. Only fools chase the next quarter looking for a bar.
Wait, what. Uhh.

 

[claytorj]

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/01/spacex-win-contract-jcsat-14-falcon-9/

More info on Japanese Satellite launch from nasaspaceflight.com (as always), including:

Previous JCSAT launches have also been conducted by Arianespace, such as JCSAT-10 and JSCAT-12, while JCSAT-11 was lost during a failed Proton-M launch conducted by International Launch Services (ILS).