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SpaceX is attempting a huge feat in spacecraft engineering. It is seeking to land the first stage of its Falcon 9-R rocket on a floating platform at sea. Normally this would end up at the bottom of the ocean. If successful, SpaceX will shake the rocket launch market, by shaving millions of dollars off launch costs.
Today’s rockets are one shot wonders. They burn up fuel in a few minutes and splash down into terrestrial oceans, having put their payload on the right trajectory. This is wasteful and that is why scientists have dreamed of building reusable launch vehicles.
The holy grail of rocket launchers is a concept referred to as the single stage to orbit (SSTO) vehicle. The idea is to use a reusable launch vehicle (RLV) which has the capability to deliver a payload to orbit, re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and land, where it can then be refuelled. The process can then be repeated with a short turnaround.
https://theconversation.com/explainer-why-reusable-rockets-are-so-hard-to-make-36036
(Score: 2) by Adamsjas on Sunday January 11 2015, @10:52PM
Ok, I assume you were kidding about the teleporting part.
But If I can play along, why would we teleport rockets down but not up? Of if we had teleporters why would we even have rockets?
(Score: 2) by deimtee on Monday January 12 2015, @10:33AM
I think he was making the point that most rockets wouldn't be re-usable after a single launch, even without the stress of dropping back to earth. He doesn't actually have a teleporter
No problem is insoluble, but at Ksp = 2.943×10−25 Mercury Sulphide comes close.