Question

One of the most innovative features of the Falcon-9 rocket is that it is re-usable, and we can see it safely recovered in the launch video. Why is this such a major achievement in the modern technology of space travel and what benefits will this have? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Reusable rockets, exemplified by SpaceX's Falcon-9, are a major achievement because they significantly reduce the cost of space travel compared to single-use rockets and make space more accessible for scientific and commercial purposes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The innovation of reusable rockets like SpaceX's Falcon-9 represents a significant advancement in space travel technology. This is primarily since the reusability aspect leads to a major reduction in the cost of accessing space. In comparison, traditional single-use rockets, which discarded their components after each flight, were significantly more expensive. The Space Shuttle program, although pioneering in its use of some reusable parts like the solid fuel boosters and the orbiter, was still costly due to the intricacies of human spaceflight.

The Falcon-9, by achieving the reuse of the entire rocket, not just parts, is a leap forward in economical space exploration. The benefits of this achievement are numerous, including the reduction of material waste, increased frequency of launches, and making space more accessible for various scientific and commercial endeavors.