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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 kaszz on Monday January 12 2015, @12:26AM
Given enough launches the re-usable rocket will eventually reach break even. And even if materials get fatigued, perhaps the most valuable parts are the different machines like pumps, steering, nozzle etc.
(Score: 2) by mhajicek on Monday January 12 2015, @05:07AM
The hard part is detecting the fatigue so parts an be replaced before causing a failure.
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek