The science community had a milestone event today. It launched the first ever privatized rocket, by Space-X, into space with the hopes of delivering future supplies and astronauts to the International Space Station. This is huge. It means that American space exploration hasn’t died with the discontinuing of the Space Shuttle program.

Incorporation of Student Designed Experiments

Space-x is also doing some very different and innovating things that the Space Shuttle program didn’t. One of them is the incorporation of student designed experiments. How cool would it have been in middle/high school to have one of your projects go into space? Ok, maybe I’m nerding out, but I think it would pretty awesome.

Testing Fermentation in Space

One project that caught my eye that was set to launch into space is called Microgravity Wine. It will test the speed of fermentation when exposed to microgravity. Wouldn’t that be funny if it fermented super fast and wine makers eventually shot wine up into orbit to make it ferment faster? (Extremely farfetched but still particularly amusing).

Resting Eternally in Space

Another interesting and unique thing Space-X is doing is launching created remains into space (Check it out here). For $3,000 you can have your remains orbit earth, for $10,000 they can be sent into a lunar orbit, or for $12,500 you can have them sent on the Voyager into deep space.  Just a simple up into space and back to earth costs $1,000. That’s out of this world!! (pun intended, of course).

No matter what the future holds for the future of space-x and privatized space exploration, if this launch is any indicator of what’s to come, it will surely be an interesting ride.