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SpaceX reaches orbit with Falcon 1 - Flight 4 (full video including Elon Musk statement)

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2 HN users recommended this news clip2 months2008–2017 score 2
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

HN shares it as a nostalgic, historic moment, noting the cheers at each milestone and Musk's address to employees.

The full webcast of SpaceX's Falcon 1 Flight 4, the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit, on 28 September 2008. It includes the crew's cheering and Elon Musk's statement afterward.

“The series of cheers at each milestone, as the article mentions, is pretty awesome.” (HN, 2015)

2 recommendations · 2 citations · News

4 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@DabAsteroid Sep 2008 Recommends
on HN thread SpaceX launches 1st commercial rocket into orbit
You're welcome. Here is the 40-minute version that includes Elon Musk's post-launch address to the SpaceX employees in Hawthorne, California, and post-launch interview: [this video]
Full 40-minute version with Musk's post-launch address.
@cspags May 2015 Recommends
on HN thread Elon Musk’s Space Dream Almost Killed Tesla
Here's the video of the first Falcon 1 launch that reaches orbit. The series of cheers at each milestone, as the article mentions, is pretty awesome. [this video]
First Falcon 1 orbital launch with cheers at each milestone.

Citations, criticism and jokes

@paulsutter Mar 2017 Cites it
on HN thread SES-10 Mission
For nostalgia's sake, here's Elon's speech to employees after the first successful launch of Falcon 1 (flight 4), in 2008 at Kwajalein Atoll: [this video] (speech begins at 32:30, in case link doesn't work)
Musk's speech to employees after first successful Falcon 1 launch.
@mrkgnao Mar 2017 Cites it
on HN thread SES-10 Mission
He's definitely matured a ton as a speaker. I mean, he isn't smooooth now, but there are far fewer pauses, to the point where it's just another striking feature about him instead of making his words hard to follow. Also, the kid being held aloft at 34:20 was a very cute touch. [this video]
Shows Musk's early speaking style compared to now.

Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.

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