Reusability is a crucial aspect of space industry efficiency. The idea has gained significant attention in recent years. It refers to the ability of spacecraft and launch vehicles to be used multiple times, reducing the cost of space exploration and making it more accessible to private companies and individuals. In this blog post, we’ll explore the concept of reusability in the space industry, its benefits, and its future prospects.
The concept of reusability is not new, with NASA’s Space Shuttle program being one of the earliest examples of reusable space technology. However, the Space Shuttle was complex and expensive to operate, leading to its retirement in 2011.
Since then, private companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic have invested heavily in reusable space technology, with the goal of making space exploration more affordable and accessible. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, for example, is designed to be reusable, with the first stage of the rocket able to return to Earth and land vertically. Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft is also designed for reusable suborbital flights.
Technological Breakthroughs
There have been several key breakthroughs in recent years that have made reusable designs all the more viable. Automation and sensor technology has enabled vehicles to perform propulsive landings with previously unseen levels of precision.
A variety of vehicle recovery strategies have been employed with great success, including but not limited to the use of airbags, parachutes and autonomous barges that are able to provide stable landing pads for propulsive landings at sea.
Prohibitive costs have been a thorn in the side of the space industry since its inception, the ability to drive up the number of cycles in the lifespan of reusable assets while similarly driving costs down will be the key to humanities bright future in space.
Economic vs Environmental Sustainability
With the reduction in costs, an increased frequency of launches can become economically and financially sustainable. Some proponents of this technology see this is a step towards a greener space industry while overlooking issues that arise with increased frequency such as the increase in debris left behind by second stage deployment technology and the chemical and toxin discharge that is an inevitable byproduct of our current fuel usage. These are just a few of the challenges that are providing obstacles to the fast pace of innovation. Events like the Space Supplier Summit in Glasgow are vital in forming the collaborative partnerships needed to overcome and innovate.
To find out more, please join us at the Space Suppliers Summit in Glasgow from the 6-7 of February 2024. Register here to join the event and jump onto the Swapcard platform to begin arranging your personalised B2B meeting agenda. Take in our conferences and learn from the industries brightest stars and foster the partnerships that will make the future happen, now!
