The Space X Dragon module carrying re-supplies to the International Space Station has successfully docked with the aid of the Canadian robotic arm. This represents the first big step in commercial space flight, and is an epic achievement for the private sector, Space X, Elon Musk, and all of the people at NASA that participated.
Transitioning space access from the government to the commercial sector is absolutely essential to bringing down the costs of accessing outer space. This is a public private partnership win that will benefit all future generations as it marks the beginning of cost efficient space access. This is particularly important because the Space Shuttle program has ended.
Elon Musk is one of my personal hero's. His passionate creation of Tesla Motors inspired me, as do the vehicles that Tesla is producing. Admittedly, I care more about electric cars than I do about space stations, space access or space exploration. The relentless unethical cheating, bribery, corruption and environmental fallout from the oil/ fossil fuel sector makes electric vehicles absolutely essential to transportation in the future. Oil is not becoming more abundant, it is a scarce natural resource being depleted at an ever increasing rate.
I find the burning of petrochemicals most disturbing. Oil can be used to create durable, recyclable chemical products like plastics, where it has a much greater overall value to society, and much smaller negative environmental and public health impacts. The history of oil production is coated with numerous explosions, accidents, oil spills, toxic fallout and deaths. The refining of oil places a huge drain on the electric grid, where each gallon of gas ends up consuming 8kWh's of grid power during its production.
Since the United States is a net oil importing country, foreign oil poses tremendous economic and national security problems and costs. This is why I care more about Tesla Motors and electric vehicles. That said, this news of the successful Dragon X launch program is worthy of recognition.
Great work Space X! Thank you Elon Musk! Biggy Up NASA!
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