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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 Immerman on Tuesday January 13 2015, @12:09AM
Actually, I may be mis-remembering, but as I recall the rocket itself is something like 90-95% of the cost of a typical launch. Fuel is another percentage point or two, and the remainder covers the logistical and bureaucratic overhead you're so quick to blame for the majority. Of course that's after the design costs have been amortized over many rockets, but SpaceX doesn't seem to be having too many problems competing, despite refining their designs almost continuously.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Tuesday January 13 2015, @12:21PM
Can't get a launch without a launch program. Launch programs are rather expensive.
Something to think about is the raw steel and plastic in a car is always less than $5K often much less, and the factory floor labor is always less than $2K, cars require almost no labor to manufacture. Why any cars cost more than $7K or so is exercise for reader.