The Company of Innovation
PHOTO TAKEN JULY 14, 2014: SPACEX'S FALCON 9 LAUNCHES AN ORBCOMM SATELLITE INTO THE SKY.
SpaceX
“SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space
technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other
planets.”
-- SpaceX
Since the beginning of mankind, humans and their curiosity are always fascinated by the vastness of the night sky and what lies beyond. Wars plunged the world into its darkest years but the technology and progress made and thought during those years were what made the Moon landing and other technological advancements like computers or the GPS possible.
As the world moves in a time of unity and the idea for wars are degrading, humanity looks to face outward to face a nobler and bigger challenge: multiplanetary life.
Compared to the other planets, Mars is the most Earth-like body in the Solar System. Mars is also our neighboring planet, which makes it easier, cost-wise and time-wise. And lastly, Mars was thought in the past by scientists as having much more Earth-like environment early in its history. These are some of the reasons why mankind looks to terraform, or populate, the planet Mars.
But one main problem is the cost of the journey. A spacecraft journey costs about hundred thousands of dollars per kilogram weight. Those who want to go to Mars are not the same as those who can afford it.
“SpaceX believes rocket reusability is the key breakthrough needed to reduce the cost of access to space and enable people to live on other
planets.”
--SpaceX
Enter Elon Musk and his SpaceX program. Elon Musk’s primary goal is to reduce space travel and so the colonization of Mars will have a better percentage of people who want and can afford to go to Mars.
SpaceX continuously works to reduce the cost of space travel by the thought of a fully reusable rocket. The Falcon-9 delivers the idea and is a breakthrough accomplishment of mankind. It significantly reduced the cost of space missions but also increased the ratio of thrusts to weight. This simply means that the rocket can lift more with less fuel.
The designs and operations of the Falcon-9 are really cost-saving all the while being fascinating. This is because SpaceX manufactures its own rockets and several other components such as the engines and spacecrafts, along with the computers and programming.
Through the years, Elon Musk and SpaceX continuously innovate and if we want to get to Mars, that is simply needed. Cost-saving equipment and design provide better funding for other programs to better the missions of the company.
A fully, rapidly reusable rocket will be a great start in the colonization of Mars and save the human population. It will also pave the way for space tourism and other innovative advancements by the future plans of SpaceX.
