SpaceX Nabs Historic First for Recycling Rockets
SpaceX is on a mission to change the way the world connects to outer space with a recent historic first the company achieved. In its bid to lower the flight costs that the company faces every time it sets out beyond the atmosphere, SpaceX launched its first recycled cargo ship to the International Space Station last June 3.
According to CBS Miami, the launch was dubbed as wonderful and an overall success. The launch was delayed for two hours because of thunderstorms but the Falcon rocket managed to blast off with the Dragon capsule that made a delivery to the International Space Station almost three years ago. Considering the fact that most rockets meet the bottom of the sea after a one-time usage, SpaceX looked to the Dragon cargo capsule to be the first of many to be recycled. The cargo included food and supplies for the astronauts as well as anything they might need for their experiments.
Phys.org reports that the supplies included live mice as well as solar panels and anything the astronauts needed to study neutron stars. The launch was the hundredth from NASA's launch pad 39A, which also served as the starting point for the Apollo missions to the moon.
SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk expressed his glee in the recent success. Considering how people always reuse cars and airplanes as modes of transportation, Musk envisioned that it should also be that way for rockets, especially with how much it costs to make one functional.
Currently, the Dragon is the only supply ship that can survive multiple entry because all others burn up in the atmosphere. Furthermore, although many would think that the SpaceX's historic first saved them a lot of bucks, reports say that savings were actually minimal because of the inspections and tests that were needed for the already used parts. However, Musk hopes to achieve the projected low cost once recycling rockets have become the new norm.
