In the past week Curiosity landed. In more ways than one. With the much anticipated arrival of the mars rover a sudden surge of excitement has spread across the nation. It’s that warm and fuzzy sensation we get when some of the mysteries of space are revealed; and SpaceX is in the business of providing us with the secrets of the universe…full time. Here are 5 reasons why SpaceX is about to be the next big thing in exploring the final frontier.
- NASA and SpaceX: NASA has already displayed its belief in SpaceX with over 1.6 billion in funding, and some tech support of course. The return of investment from SpaceX was even more impressive; the development of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle, and the re-usable Dragon space craft. In fact NASA has already contracted SpaceX for a minimum of 12 cargo runs to the International Space Station. But more importantly this investment by NASA sends a very public message to the world that states, we believe in what SpaceX is capable of.
- Breaking Down Walls: SpaceX can make the claim that it is only one of four organizations to ever complete the monumentally difficult task of birthing at the International Space Station. However it is the first and only commercial craft to ever do so; the three others that can make the claim to a successful connect with ISS are government funded missions. So what does this mean? It means that there is almost nothing out of reach for SpaceX, they can accomplish anything a government program can, and perhaps more.
- Young But Eager: Some articles have made the claim that space exploration and manned launches should best be left to the older, and more experienced government organizations. SpaceX has met these criticisms with an unwavering flow of success and even stricter regulations than it’s older counterparts. The SpaceX spacecraft are safety tested to more rigorous standards than NASA, and the construction processes are leaner, faster, and even more efficient.
- American Firepower: All of the spacecraft made by SpaceX are built from the ground up in the states. This in itself is quite a feat, as the vast majority of aerospace vehicles have key parts such as the engine, or boosters, imported from overseas. Decisions like this will bring back the international competition, which will in turn drive the desire to be the best of the best in space exploration. Even the greatest of rivals must admit, the fires of competition drive them to the greatest heights.
- Re-usability: Imagine if an airplane had a one flight lifespan, wouldn’t plane tickets be absurdly pricey? This is another problem SpaceX plans to tackle, by making spacecraft, launch vehicles, and even reusable rocket boosters SpaceX could potentially slash space travel costs into fractions of what they are today. This would be a monumental achievement and would revolutionize the way we view space exploration. Because if a ticket to space cost the same as a flight cross country…wouldn’t you make that purchase?