Reusable Rockets?

A reusable launch vehicle has parts that can be recovered and reflown, while carrying payloads from the surface to outer space. Rocket stages are the most common launch vehicle parts that are reused. Smaller parts such as rocket engines and boosters can also be reused, though reusable spacecraft may be launched on top of an expendable launch vehicle. The idea behind reusable rockets is to recover the ultra-expensive rocket boosters used for launching spacecrafts, and afterwards to refuel and reuse them for space flights.

The main proponent of the idea is SpaceX, a privately funded company established in 2002 and owned by the luminary entrepreneur Elon Musk. In fact, the initial objective of Musk was, and it still is, human colonization of Mars. Among the obstacles toward that objective is the prohibitively high cost of space travel: thus one sub-objective that emerged is the significant decrease in launch expenses via a technological breakthrough related to reusing rockets. Rockets are currently destroyed after launching, by being burned up during reentry in the atmosphere.

However, Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond. It has had near 300 launches and 220 reflights in the past. Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket. Reusability allows SpaceX to refly the most expensive parts of the rocket, which in turn drives down the cost of space access.

Its engine, Merlin was originally designed for recovery and reuse. Merlin is a family of rocket engines developed by SpaceX for use on its Falcon 1, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles. Merlin engines use a rocket grade kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen as rocket propellants in a gas-generator power cycle.

However, SpaceX is not the only one developing reusable rockets, the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) program is a project led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to develop a fully reusable rocket system. The program aims to significantly reduce the cost of launching payloads into space by eliminating the need to build new rockets for every launch. While there are challenges facing the RLV program, the potential benefits of reusable rocket technology are significant, and the program could position India as a key player in the global space industry.