How SpaceX Reinvented The Rocket!

In December 2015, SpaceX successfully landed an orbital Falcon 9 rocket booster back on Earth, marking a historic achievement in space flight. Despite being the only company capable of this feat, others in the aerospace industry argue that reusable rockets are not more economical than traditional methods. NASA's Saturn V rocket was initially designed to be disposable due to economic reasons, opting for the space shuttle program to pursue reusability. However, the procedure to refurbish and reuse the space shuttle proved to be more labor-intensive than anticipated.

The challenge with reusable rockets, as NASA found with the space shuttle, is the economic and logistical feasibility of refurbishing them for multiple uses. NASA's intended frequency of flights with the shuttle program fell short, suggesting disposable rockets were more cost-effective given the shuttle's high maintenance. SpaceX's innovation with the Falcon 9 redefined reusability by opting for propulsive landings instead of relying on parachutes, focusing primarily on the reuse of the first stage booster. This approach emphasized making the booster fully reusable, not just refurbishable, to ensure economic viability through frequent launches.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 achieved its first successful landing in late 2015 through extensive trial and error and development upgrades. By the Falcon 9's final form as the Block 5 variant in 2018, reusability had been optimized with significant engineering refinements, like engine and material upgrades. These developments meant Falcon 9 could be reused effectively for multiple launches, transitioning from a refurbishable to a fully reusable system. This achievement distinguished SpaceX's operations from standard industry practices, where design changes are rare due to the inherent risks of rocket operation.