SpaceX's Reusable Falcon 9

SpaceX, contracted through NASA 's Commercial Resupply Services, is planned to launch its fifth cargo shipment mission to the International Space Station in early January (delayed until 6th of January from the 19th of December, on the Friday the launch was supposed to be). SpaceX, with a heavy dose of innovation, is increasingly gaining business through NASA contracts. Friday's mission will simultaneously act as a testing session for a new, unique launch rocket.  The company has been working on reusable launch vehicles - maybe not a completely new idea, but the SpaceX has actually been acting on it, with proper investment. 


Past Liftoff of Falcon 9
Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX's Falcon 9-R, which is third version of the Falcon rockets currently being developed and refined, is designed to be partially reusable. More specifically, the first-stage booster will be reusable after, for instance, cargo missions to the ISS. The Falcon 9-R, after delivery, would drop back down through the atmosphere and land aboard a landing pad on a recovery ship in the ocean - an undertaking that demands high precision. "While SpaceX has already demonstrated two successful soft water landings, executing a precision landing on an unanchored ocean platform is significantly more challenging," according to a SpaceX news release. If this important test of the reusable Falcon 9 rocket is successful (probability for success: 50%), a new standard for launch services will be set. If the recovery fails, critical data will be collected nonetheless, and the next test will potentially be more successful.



Innovative X-Wings on SpaceX's Falcon 9 - assistance to landing on platform
Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX Landing Platform
Credit: SpaceX

Reusability will offer several advantages, of which one is tremendous cost savings in the long-run. Thus, launch prices for NASA and private companies will experience declines. Parallel, demand for SpaceX's services will increase marginally with decreasing prices - Musk envisions launch price per pound to drop down to as low as $500 in the near future. Launch price for Falcon 9, with a capacity of some 13,150 kg into the Low Earth Orbit (LEO), is $61.2 million - at full capacity some $4,654 per pound.

This innovation gives SpaceX  a competitive advantage over competing private companies, such as Arianespace, a sizable European launch service provider. Besides lower prices, Elon Musk drives SpaceX to continually improve performance. According to the Motley Fool, "SpaceX's reusable rocket ship could cut the cost of satellite launches by 74% off what ULA charges the U.S. Government." ULA (United Launch Alliance), a partnership between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, could slowly lose market share if they do not start to come up with their own way to drive down prices of their launch offerings - the development of reusable launch vehicles should be a priority. Otherwise, ULA might not be able to effectively compete for much longer.

by Peter Steenhuis

Feel free to leave a comment!

Sources:
http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/december/nasa-spacex-update-launch-of-resupply-mission-to-the-space-station/#.VIycNRyomFk
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/12/14/spacex-invents-an-x-wing-sort-of-introducing-falco.aspx
http://www.spacex.com/about/capabilities
http://www.spacex.com/news/2014/12/16/x-marks-spot-falcon-9-attempts-ocean-platform-landing

Space Tourism - Waste of Funding?

Photograph: Phillip Toledano
Credit: theguardian.com

Stéphane Israël, CEO and Chairman of the global-leader of launch service providers (launcher of ESA's Rosetta), Arianespace SA, stated that because space tourism does not benefit enough people, and given "a new space race" between India, China, the United States, and other nations (that is allegedly underway), space tourism should not be prioritized by government funding. Let me explain why I think he needs to reconsider.

According to The Australian Financial Review and The Sydney Morning Herald, which reported on an interview between Israël and Fairfax Media, Australasia's leading multi-platform media company (and publisher of AFR and SMH), Arianespace's chief executive has said the he does not believe in space tourism - it even is a waste of funding. In Israël's opinion, tourism operations, such as Virgin Galactic's and potentially SpaceX's (being also a strong competitive threat to Arianespace's cargo business due to SpaceX gaining market share and continuously reducing costs - economies of scale), should not be a priority for government funding. "But he also said government support and funding should be kept for space programs that focused on helping as many people as possible rather than wealthy space tourists on services like Virgin Galactic." 

"If I had a dream it would be more about using space to deliver global connections to humanity than a few seconds of space tourism." - Stéphane Israël. I ask, why not fund both?

To coarsely sum up my understanding of Israël's opinion:

1. A new, competitive space race is underway, so scientific exploration should be funded, exclusively, and funding should not be wasted on space tourism.
2. Space tourism does not benefit enough people, so, again, funding should not be wasted on it.

I understand his points, but I have to disagree. The existence of a space race, similar to the one between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, I find to be highly unlikely. Today, collaboration on scientific ventures as well as the sharing of recently gained scientific and technological insight between nations is quite common. The cooperation on generating new ideas, designing new technology, and executing marvelous missions, speak against the threat of a new space race. Today, value is found in sharing and collaboration, rather than in hoarding and isolation. I do think that scientific exploration and research in space deserve more funding than it currently has access to - for the benefit of humanity; however, my point is: that's simply not a good reason to stop, or neglect, assistive funding for space tourism operators. There is a greater, potential economic impact to be achieved - a reality that should be embraced rather than rejected.

While by 2022 according to Reuters, "the space tourism industry ... is expected to be worth $1 billion," the three following types of impact from space tourism, all which call for innovation in products and services, create a chain reaction, a multiplier effect, that strongly amplifies value for the global economy:

1. There is a direct impact from spending on inputs, such as engines, computers, other resources necessary to manufacture space vessels, build ports and facilities. While the salaries of thousands of employees will be used to purchase consumer goods and services, supporting livelihoods and creating substantial economic activity.
2. In supplier industries, there is an indirect impact from the spending on inputs, such as composites, raw materials, electrical wiring, and semi-conductors (and so on) to build components. And here again, employee salaries in the supplier industry will continuously be utilized to purchase consumer goods and services, positively impacting local, state, as well as national economies.
3. An induced impact, on consumer goods and services industries, as housing, entertainment, food, and clothing, is generating benefits down the line due to the multiplier effect.

It does so much more than simply serving the wealthy end-consumers. Space tourism is a great, innovative addition to the global economy - a brand new industry - that eventually supports itself from paying end-consumers at an increasing demand rate with potentially declining ticket prices. Furthermore, for new and innovative technologies and software, that are being developed here, other application will ultimately be found. 

by Peter Steenhuis

Sources:

http://www.arianespace.com/about-us/service-solutions.asp

http://www.afr.com/p/technology/focus_on_astronauts_not_space_tourists_degGHu6r8jpKOfb3NCb3YL

http://www.fairfaxmedia.com.au/Company/Corporate-Profile/corporate-profile

http://www.smh.com.au/business/space-tourism-is-a-waste-of-humanitys-time-says-arianespace-chief-executive-stephane-israel-20141120-11qfv8.html

http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/38331spacex-challenge-has-arianespace-rethinking-pricing-policies
http://www.spacex.com/about
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/20/us-usa-space-tourism-idUSBRE82J0W720120320

SpaceX - Connecting the Unconnected

Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corp.

Via Twitter, Elon Musk, who is the executive and designer at SpaceX as well as CEO of Tesla Motors, informally confirmed that SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corporation) is developing state-of-the-art satellites that are to provide a global network of affordable, unrestricted, high-speed Internet access. 

SpaceX is still in the early stages of developing advanced micro-satellites operating in large formations. Announcement in 2 to 3 months.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 11, 2014

According to the Wall Street Journal, Musk and Greg Wyler, who is a former Google Inc. executive and founder of WorldVu Satellites Ltd., have discussed a potential partnership between the two companies to collaboratively have these smaller, light-weight satellites manufactured in masses; satellite manufactures are now able to bid for the job. However, for reasons of cost reduction, some parts would be produced in-house. Talks with state officials in Colorado and Florida regarding possible location of factories have been held. 

Fundamental objective of this project is to launch about 640 satellites, weighting less than 125 kilograms (250 pounds - "half the size of the smallest current commercial communications satellites") each and costing less than $1 million per unit, that ultimately provide means for everyone to connect - even if one lives in or travels to the most remote of places. By the end of this decade, half of the project's satellites could be orbiting Earth at some 800 kilometer (500 miles) above the surface in constellations that blanket the planet with constant Internet access and potentially put through 14 gigabits per second, "reducing lag time and delays with service."  The $1.5 billion price-tag of the project might seem tremendously high, but if it successfully goes through, SpaceX as well as WorldVu would surely benefit monetarily but also promote their brand images with a mission that is quite altruistic in its roots.

Economies of scale, producing dozens/hundreds of standardized satellites at a time, would create a competitive advantage; however, Sierra Nevada Corp. and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. are competing against the project with their own production of notable small satellites. Google and Facebook are also working on projects that aim to provide global Internet access to millions of people. In the next few years, the upper atmosphere will become the battleground of a competition for the most superior, wide-ranged and efficient global Internet provider.

Living in a rural area where the Internet connection is tremendously slow - less than six mbps (no, I am not kidding) - I can still consider myself fortunate. More than half of the global population (about 60%, according to the International Telecommunication Union) does not use the Internet, mostly because they do not have access to it. The global usage of internet has been growing by an average of 11% annually since 2005 and 7.5% annually in the last three years. By the end of this decade, hopefully, a provider for affordable, unrestricted, high-speed Internet will be there to connect the unconnected - and perhaps offer me a speedier alternative while they're at it.

by Peter Steenhuis

Sources:
https://twitter.com/elonmusk
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/11/11/elon-musk-confirms-spacex-is-building-internet-satellites/?KEYWORDS=spacex
http://rt.com/usa/203647-elon-musk-internet-satellites/
http://online.wsj.com/articles/elon-musks-next-mission-internet-satellites-1415390062
http://www.iflscience.com/technology/spacex-will-soon-be-launching-satellites-unfettered-low-cost-internet
http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/stat/default.aspx