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SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Over Space Shuttle
SpaceX's first space station-bound Dragon spacecraft, flying atop a Falcon 9 rocket, launches behind a high fidelity mockup of the space shuttle, NASA's previous means of delivering cargo to International Space Station. Liftoff occurred on May 22, 2012 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
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Falcon 9 Arcs Through the Sky
Credit: James Fink (via Twitter @SpaceX)
SpaceX tweeted this photo of the Falcon 9 launch on May 22, 2012. The company wrote: "Incredible shot of Falcon 9 launch (photo credit: James Fink) pic.twitter.com/M97rrNfY."
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Thermal Image of Earth Taken by Dragon
Credit: SpaceX (via Twitter @SpaceX)
SpaceX tweeted this image taken by the Dragon capsule in orbit on May 22, 2012. The company wrote: "Earth as seen by a thermal imager that Dragon will use in its approach to the International Space Station. pic.twitter.com/jxv6t3et."
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Interior of the Dragon Capsule in Space
Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX tweeted this photo of the Dragon's spacecraft interior in space on May 22, 2012. The company wrote: "First look inside Dragon in orbit. pic.twitter.com/IEx7UhPo."
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Dragon Solar Panels Deploy
Credit: SpaceX
View from SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft looking outward at one of two solar array panels in the process of deploying. Image released May 22, 2012.
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Elon Musk and Cheering SpaceX Employees
Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX founder Elon Musk stands before cheering SpaceX employees at their Los Angeles facility following the successful launch of their Falcon 9 rocket on May 22, 2012.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch
Credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry
On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Launch Complex-40 is ablaze as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off on May 22, 2012.
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Space Launch Complex-40 is Ablaze
Credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry
On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Launch Complex-40 is ablaze as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off on May 22, 2012.
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SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket Launches
Credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket roars into space at 3:44 a.m. EDT on May 20, 2012, from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch
Credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry
On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Launch Complex-40 is ablaze as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off on May 22, 2012.
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Liftoff of Falcon 9 Rocket
Credit: SpaceX
The Falcon 9 rocket's engines ignite on the SpaceX launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, May 22, 2012.
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Liftoff for SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket
Credit: NASA TV
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars into the predawn sky above Florida carrying the unmanned Dragon capsule on the first-ever commercial flight to the International Space Station on May 22, 2012 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Second Stage Engine
Credit: SpaceX/NASA
This view shows a bright red second stage engine on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, as the booster launches the unmanned Dragon capsule into orbit on May 22, 2012.
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SpaceX Launches Falcon 9/Dragon to ISS
Credit: NASA TV
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars into the predawn sky above Florida carrying the unmanned Dragon capsule on the first-ever commercial flight to the International Space Station on May 22, 2012 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
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Falcon 9 & Dragon Launch Crowd
Credit: SpaceX
Launch spectators cheer on the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft shortly after liftoff on May 22, 2012.
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Falcon 9 Rocket Launches Dragon Capsule
Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launches the unmanned Dragon capsule into orbit on May 22, 2012.
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SpaceX Launches Falcon 9/Dragon to ISS
Credit: NASA/Alan Ault
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars into space from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:44 a.m. EDT on May 22, 2012, carrying the Dragon capsule to orbit.
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SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon Launch Trajectory to ISS
Credit: SpaceX
This still from a SpaceX webcast shows the planned trajectory of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the first Dragon capsule to the International Space Station on May 22, 2012.
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Falcon 9 Rocket & Dragon Spacecraft Launch
Credit: NASA TV
The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on May 22, 2012.
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Bolden Addresses Press Following SpaceX's Dragon Launch
Credit: NASA
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden takes questions from the media at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the successful SpaceX demonstration flight launch to the International Space Station
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SpaceX Launch Controllers React to Falcon 9 & Dragon Liftoff
Credit: SpaceX/NASA
SpaceX launch controllers in Cape Canaveral, Fla. react to the successful launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragonc apsule into orbit.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket: Top View
Credit: SpaceX
This view from a SpaceX rocket shows a top view of a Falcon 9 rocket atop its Cape Canaveral Air Force Station launch pad just before a May 22, 2012 launch of its Dragon space capsule.
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The Dragon Spacecraft Being Rotated
Credit: NASA
The Dragon spacecraft being rotated before it is mated to the Falcon 9 rocket in SpaceX’s hangar in Cape Canaveral, FL.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 On Launch Pad
Credit: NASA TV
SpaceX fuels the Falcon 9 rocket carrying its first space station-bound Dragon capsule at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on May 22, 2012.
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Dragon Spacecraft at the International Space Station
Credit: SpaceX
Artist’s rendition of the Dragon spacecraft at the International Space Station.
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SpaceX's Falcon 9 Launch Site: Florida
Credit: NASA TV
This still from a NASA webcast shows the location of SpaceX's Florida launch site for the Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket/Dragon Capsule at Night
Credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands topped with an unmanned Dragon space capsule - the first commercial spacecraft ever to launch to the International Space Station - on May 17, 2012. The rocket and Dragon are due to launch on May 19, 2012 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
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Second Stage View on SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket
Credit: SpaceX/NASA
This photo shows the view from SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket's second stage looking down at the launch pad. The booster successfully carried the Dragon capsule into orbit on May 22, 2012.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch Abort
Credit: NASA
SpaceX's first Falcon 9 rocket launching toward the International Space Station ignites its nine main engines briefly in this NASA photo shortly before aborting the launch try on May 19, 2012 due to an unexpected engine sensor reading. The Falcon 9 rocket will now launch the Dragon cargo capsule to the space station on May 22.
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Falcon 9 Rocket and Dragon at Launch Pad
Credit: SpaceX
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the first Dragon spacecraft bound for the International Space Station is seen resting atop SpaceX’s launch site in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
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SpaceX’s Launch Control Center
Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX engineers prepare for the launch at SpaceX’s launch control center in Cape Canaveral, FL.
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SpaceX COTS 2 Mission Patch
Credit: SpaceX
COTS 2 mission patch.
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SpaceX Mission Control in Hawthorne, Calif.
Credit: SpaceX/NASA
SpaceX mission controllers in Hawthorne, Calif. watch as the Falcon 9 rocket carries the Dragon capsule into orbit. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, with arms raised, is in the center of the front row.
