July 13, 2009

A SoftRide whole-spacecraft isolation system provided by CSA Engineering supported the RazakSAT satellite yesterday as it entered space aboard Space Exploration Technologies's (SpaceX) Falcon I launch vehicle. The mission launched flawlessly on July 13, 2009 (local time) from a U.S. base on Kwajelein Atoll located in the Marshall Island chain in the Pacific Ocean.

This mission was especially demanding for CSA and the SoftRide team due to the late-stage implementation of the whole-spacecraft isolation system. Prior to an originally scheduled April launch date, the discovery of an unfavorable interaction between the vehicle and the spacecraft led to a delay in order for SpaceX to pursue in-house solutions. SpaceX also took the opportunity to inquire with CSA because of their long history of successful launches. SpaceX determined CSA's solution to be the most expedient and kept the delays to a minimum. Therefore SpaceX partnered with CSA to provide a quick turn-around and assist in the successful launch.

This was CSA Engineering's nineteenth launch of a SoftRide system and the first system for the Falcon I launch vehicle. The other vehicles which have used SoftRide include the Minotaur I, Delta II, Delta IV, Atlas, Taurus, and the Pegasus.