Space X is a private spacelaunch systems company founded by Elon Musk that has developed cheaper satellite launchers (Falcon 1) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) lifter (Falcon 9). They were awarded a Commercial Orbital Transportation Service (COTS) contract by NASA in 2006 to demonstrate a successful cargo resupply and crew transfer flights to the International Space Station (ISS). On Saturday, November 22, 2008, Space X successfully tested the first stage of the Falcon 9 launcher. Next year, they are slated to launch two of these demonstration flights and in 2010 do a full on flight test and docking with the ISS. If all goes well and ontime, NASA plans on awarding Space X a 278 million dollar contract to provide cargo and crew support to the ISS. This means that the U.S. could have a means to continue ISS operations after the space shuttle is retired in 2010 without having to rely overly much on Russia's Energia to provide support to NASA between 2010 and 2015.
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