Space & Astronomy

SpaceX launches first ever recycled rocket

By T.K. Randall
March 31, 2017

Image: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Launch (2025)
Credit: Aubrey Gemignani / (PD) NASA Hailed by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk as a revolutionary step towards making space exploration more affordable, the launch demonstrates once and for all that it is possible to not only recover used rockets, but to then use them again in future launches.

The rocket booster, which had been used during a mission last year, not only launched successfully from Florida on Thursday but even landed again afterwards on an ocean platform, meaning that it should be possible to use it a third time as well.Musk's next objective will be to achieve a turnaround time of just 24 hours for reusable rockets.

"The potential is there for (an) over 100-fold reduction in the cost of access to space," he said. "If we can achieve that, it means humanity can become a space-faring civilisation and be out there among the stars. This is what we want for the future."


Source: Telegraph

Tags: SpaceX, Rocket