Post
Topic
Board Politics & Society
Re: Russian roadmap to Solar System colonisation. Moon is the first step.
by
kuroman
on 27/05/2014, 15:31:11 UTC
SpaceX is profitable right now without any reuse of rocket parts.  Most people think SpaceX is on the verge of being able to reuse the first stage of their rocket which will cut the cost of flight down (for them) nearly 50%.  9 out of 10 rocket engines are in the first stage.

As SpaceX increases its launch rate and gets re-use going it will have the highest profit in the rocket industry bar none.  SpaceX will also have the highest operational payload to orbit with the Falcon Heavy which is not much more then a ganged version of a rocket they are already flying.  This is possible because they have mastered LOW COST liquid propulsion and have gone away from lower tech solid rockets.  

50% is not a realistic figure, not to mention how previous american programs that were based on reusing parts failled hard so what would make SpaceX any different (usually the parts are either lost, are way too damaged to be resused...? also spaceX program is very limited in terms of capacity right now, maybe things will change when the Falcom Heavy rocket is operational.

But I like the principal of the Falcom rocket, simplifying things make them cheaper and more reliable, hence cost efficient