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Private spacecraft has successfully passed the last test

In Florida, successfully completed the next stage of testing private unmanned spacecraft Dragon, which is developing by SpaceX company.

Tests were conducted on August 12 over the ocean near the town of Morro Bay in California, but information about them has appeared only now. Built by the space of the truck dropped it from a helicopter from a height of 4.2 kilometers, testing the parachute system, Dragon and its system splashdown. Video of tests can be seen here.

According to the company SpaceX, the test went as planned. When you reset the device had opened as a secondary parachute, which stabilize its position and basic, giving the main contribution to the slowdown in the fall. During the tests, the developers have not checked the vehicle’s engine, which will be included during this landing. In SpaceX added that the information collected during the test is useful for engineers to create a manned spacecraft Dragon.

The first launch of the private space of the truck to the ISS is scheduled already for 2010. Dragon can deliver cargo to orbit the maximum weight of about 6,000 pounds and return to Earth of about 3 thousand pounds. Print the ship in space should rocket Falcon-9, also developed by SpaceX. In June 2010 conducted the first launch of this rocket.

After the White House decided to turn a large-scale development of new spacecraft Orion and carrier-rockets «Ares», the task of delivering cargo and crew to the ISS after the shuttle program downsizing was transferred to private companies. With SpaceX NASA awarded the contract for delivery of goods to the amount of 1,6 billion dollars


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