In case you've been wondering, that's what a fully lit Falcon 9 rocket looks like at ignition, which occurred, by the way, for the first time this weekend at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, where SpaceX is preparing for the rocket's debut flight next month.
A previously planned test of the Falcon's nine kerosene- and liquid oxygen-engines last week ended two seconds before ignition due to an improperly configured valve -- a valuable lesson learned, SpaceX chief Elon Musk wrote in an email. The valve wasn't on the rocket engine's test stand in Texas.
"It is important for readers to appreciate that what we are going through right now is the equivalent of 'beta testing.' Problems are expected to occur, as they have throughout the development phase. The beta phase only ends when a rocket has done at least one, but arguably two or three consecutive flights to orbit," Musk wrote.
NASA is looking at SpaceX and other commercial rocket developers to take over the job of carrying cargo -- and possibly people -- to the International Space Station.
Photos: SpaceX
Tags: NASA, Space Commercialization
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