In the future, getting your own personal satellite into orbit might be as easy as chartering a flight. And after their first successful commercial launch launch this week, SpaceX is trying to make that possible.
The Falcon 1 rocket, developed and operated by SpaceX, successfully transported a Malaysian satellite for Earth-imaging into orbit. The rocket has launched 5 times, with two successes. The first was a test payload last year, and this week's launch was the real deal.
The company is run by Elon Musk, the founder of PayPal, and they offer a new model of space exploration. The Malaysian satellite is SpaceX's first paying customer, but they have a contract with NASA to shuttle cargo to the International Space Station. No word on how soon mad billionaire villains can start using their service.
SpaceX launches first commercial satellite to orbit [via NewScientist]
(Image of the Falcon1 rocket, from SpaceX)