Caroline C.
Years ago, NASA stopped their manned missions to the moon. In 2006, it was announced that NASA’s Space Shuttle Program was ending. A manned mission to Mars could be happening, but it would be in the 2030’s. The only name in space exploration seemed to be disappearing. What is SpaceX? However, space missions could not come to a halt. A small, privately-owned company called Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) was able to secure a contract to design a resupply system for the International Space Station. The Falcon 1, their first liquid-fueled rocket succeeded in reaching the ISS in 2008. SpaceX has launched many a rocket since, fulfilling their simply stated description: “SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.” The company has two goals, which are to make spaceflight routine and affordable, and to make humans a multi-planet species. SpaceX manufactures and is experimenting with both the Falcon rockets and the Dragon capsules, both of which may be used in the near future to send crewed flights to the ISS, and potentially, Mars. As of right now, they continue to supply the International Space Station and service the government by providing spacecraft for astronauts going there. As of 2015, SpaceX is headquartered in Florida, and uses the famous Cape Canaveral launch site for many of their launches. They also occupy multiple facilities around the country, including Hawthorne, California, Seattle, Washington, and Rio Grande, Texas. The company employs over 4,000 people, and has achieved a lot of media coverage over the years.
Fun Facts
Headquarters: Cape Canaveral, Florida
CEO/Founder: Elon Musk
President/COO: Gwynne Shotwell
Year Founded: 2002
Spacecraft: Falcon 9, Dragon
nutrient-gel on the Red Planet. This would be the first step toward colonizing Mars—one of the stated goals of SpaceX once it would be founded. Two pieces of equipment would be required to execute the project. The first was a lander, which Musk had already made a deal with a company to build. The second was a rocket to perform the actual launch. Unfortunately, the rocket prices of US companies to transport these supplies to Mars were astronomical. Musk then turned to another country. Russia has provided the United Launch Alliance - who has the task of supplying the United States with spacecraft for the military - with rocket boosters since 2006. Musk made plans to buy a refurbished Dnepr missile from Russia, but realized that making the deal would cause financial risks that could threaten his fortune. Both deals had multiple cons - enough that Musk reached the conclusion that building his own rocket would be more cost-effective. And so, SpaceX came to be. What sets SpaceX apart? Efficiency is at the core of SpaceX as it moves forward. Their first rocket, that was launched in 2008, was priced at about $7 million, which is incredibly cheap when talking about space travel. While giving an interview, Musk explained what made their cost of launching it so low. Musk thinks like a physicist, so he asked what rockets were made of. The answer is aerospace-grade aluminum alloys, plus some titanium, copper, and carbon fiber. These materials are purchased at 2% of the regular price. So, if materials were that cheap, why did it still cost so much to launch a single rocket? In large aerospace companies such
“If one can figure out how to effectively reuse rockets just like airplanes, the cost of access to space will be reduced by as much as a factor of a hundred… That really is the fundamental breakthrough needed to revolutionize access to space.” - Elon Musk
as NASA, risk is huge. No company would consider launching a rocket if it was deemed too risky. So, they were still using technology dated from the 1960s because they knew that it been used for years with few failures. Orbital Sciences, a private space exploration company, uses rocket engines that were literally made in the 60’s. Better technology was of course available, but switching to newer and more efficient methods was a risk. Also, making parts becomes enormously expensive because of the outsourcing involved. Profits are added on at every level something has to go through.HERE? Finally, the parts of rockets are made by taking a large piece of aluminum material, then cutting off most of it to make a certain piece of the spacecraft. That costs time and money. SpaceX’s approach is to design it after an airplane, using ribs and hoops to get the stiffness needed for a rocket. A process called stir welding ensures that joints are strong enough to withstand pressure during a launch. Material loss is cut down to 10%. Problem solved. Reusable Rockets Space travel is very costly, since no module can be used twice. Rockets are designed to burn up as they re-enter Earth’s atmosphere. One of SpaceX’s lofty goals is to create reusable rockets. These rockets, rather than burning up, could be landed upright on Earth’s surface and be used again for another launch. To check the facts, NASA’s average cost per launch during the space shuttle program’s life was about $1.5 billion. Much of that money was used to manufacture the rockets, a cost SpaceX hopes to avoid. The Falcon 9’s first flight cost $440 million, and if the parts become reusable, the cost
Left: The ABS/ EUTELSAT—1 Launch Right: The Falcon—9 rollout
further. According to a post titled “Reusability: The Key to Making Human Life Multi-Planetary” by CEO and founder Elon Musk, “If one can figure out how to effectively reuse rockets just like airplanes, the cost of access to space will be reduced by as much as a factor of a hundred...That really is the fundamental breakthrough needed to revolutionize access to space.” On April 18th, 2014, SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket into orbit to resupply the ISS and managed to land it softly on the ocean. 8 months later, on January 14, 2015, a Falcon rocket successfully resupplied the ISS but exploded upon landing. On June 28, 2015, a Falcon 9 rocket combusted because there was a significant amount of overpressure in an oxygen tank. After the disastrous launch, the company temporarily suspended operations. In November of 2015, competitor Blue origin launched and landed their New Shepard rocket. However, the flight never crossed into Earth orbit. Then, on December 21, 2015, a Falcon 9 rocket successfully landed intact on land, gaining SpaceX attention. The company inspected the rocket to determine ways to make it more robust in the hopes of more successful landings. The company has predicted a 70% landing success rate in 2016.
Road to the Red Planet Remember Musk’s idea to plant a greenhouse on Mars? He called it the Mars Oasis project, and it was the first step towards establishing a colony there. Back in 2002, he had discovered there were no concrete plans to go to Mars by NASA, which led to him developing that project idea and founding SpaceX. Musk announced at the end of January a plan to send a manned mission to Mars in 2025. To put that goal in perspective, NASA will be going to the Red Planet in the 2030s. No action had been taken until recently to put life on Mars because it had been estimated that a single manned mission to the surface would cost almost $500 billion - a number that dissuades politicians from approving funding. SpaceX may be able to lower that cost since their rockets have proven to be cheaper than
other American manufacturers. When asked why going to Mars is so important to SpaceX, Musk answered, “It’s the only planet we really have a shot at establishing a selfsustaining city on. It will then enable us to establish colonies elsewhere in the solar system and ultimately extend beyond our solar system.” While the Dragon could be used to go to Mars, it would take a very long time. In addition, it would have no way to land. The ship would crash into the surface and make a large crater. When he announced the plan to go to Mars in 2025, Musk also said that the company wants to reveal a new design for a ship at September's International Astronautical Conference in Guadalajara, Mexico. Until then, the world will have to wait and see if SpaceX can make a new spacecraft capable of reaching what so many have dreamed of, and truly become the future of space exploration.
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