Gallery: Experts' Favorite Space Photos

By Clara Moskowitz
published

SpaceX's Falcon 1 Rocket Reaches Orbit

SpaceX

Elon Musk, founder of private spaceflight company SpaceX, sent in this photo. He writes: "[M]y favorite pic is a relatively personal one. It is the first frame from the video downlink just as Falcon 1 reached orbit. It was the fourth flight of Falcon 1 and our last chance to make orbit. If we hadn't, then SpaceX wouldn't be around."

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Clara Moskowitz
Clara Moskowitz
Assistant Managing Editor

Clara Moskowitz is a science and space writer who joined the Space.com team in 2008 and served as Assistant Managing Editor from 2011 to 2013. Clara has a bachelor's degree in astronomy and physics from Wesleyan University, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She covers everything from astronomy to human spaceflight and once aced a NASTAR suborbital spaceflight training program for space missions. Clara is currently Associate Editor of Scientific American. To see her latest project is, follow Clara on Twitter.