SpaceX Does It! Falcon I Reaches Orbit

It's all smiles for the gang at SpaceX. Falcon 1 has made history as the first privately-developed liquid fueled launch vehicle to achieve earth orbit... with the company's fourth Falcon I rocket performing flawlessly in a 10-minute ride to the heavens. ... At T-plus 10 minutes, Falcon I succesfully released its dummy payload... marking a wholly successful mission for the company, which has suffered through the failures of its first three launches. -aeronews