And The First SpaceX Passenger Is….

Cheese.

Yes, a giant wheel of cheese. Many of you are probably familiar with the maiden voyage of the SpaceX Dragon Space Capsule, and its feat of becoming the first commercial space capsule to attach to the International Space Station.

What might come as a surprise is the fact that the very first passenger was a giant wheel of cheese!

According to SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk, the cheese is a tribute to Monty Python and its “cheese shop skit.”

The cheese survived a launch from Cape Canaveral, FL, to the International Space Station, and back to the Earth’s atmosphere.

It’s now on display at the SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, CA.

Aside from the wheel of cheese, ballast weights were the main cargo, along with thousands of SpaceX employee badges.

Astronaut Tom Jones expresses his thoughts on the successful SpaceX launch here.

A video of the launch:

 

SpaceX Falcon 9 Successful Launch!

The Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket successfully launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, FL yesterday 5/22/12. It is headed to the International Space Station with supplies, and is the first time a commercial spacecraft will deliver to the ISS.

Congratulations to SpaceX! Check out the original USA Today Article.