SpaceX makes history launching its first recycled rocket

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By Matthew Griffin Space 30th March 2017

WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF

Being able to re-use rockets cuts the cost of launches down by a hundred fold, paving the way for cheaper, more affordable space travel

Earlier today SpaceX successfully demonstrated their ability to re-use a refurbished Falcon 9 rocket – the same rocket that it sent to the International Space Station (ISS) last April and which famously landed on a drone barge in the Atlantic.

In order for SpaceX to maximize the economic benefit of its reusable rockets though it’s going to have launch these used vehicles as frequently as possible, and it’s not as if the Falcon 9 rockets are ready to fly again as soon as they land. Like the Space Shuttle program before them it takes months to get rockets flight ready again, and Musk is challenging SpaceX to trim down that turnaround time even further. Eventually, he wants the inspection and refurbishment process to take just 24 hours to complete rather than the four months it takes currently.

SpaceX want to fly six refurbished records this year and now they’re on their way so hats off to them and good luck.

Matthew Griffin / About Author

Matthew Griffin, described as a "Walking encyclopaedia of the future" by NASA and a futurist polymath, is one of the world's most renowned futurists and strategic foresight experts. A serial entrepreneur Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working across the next 50 years, XPotential University, the world's first free futures and foresight university, and the World Futures Forum which works with the United Nations to solve the worlds greatest challenges. 13 times author of the Codex of the Future series, Matthew is an in demand international keynote, acclaimed university lecturer, and host of the hit Fanatical Futurist podcast.

A rare talent in his past Matthew helped build and run several multi-billion dollar business units for Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, and his ability to identify, track, and explain the impacts of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends on global business, culture, and society has earned him a powerful reputation and a roster of clients that include royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77+ governments, and many of the world's most respected brands including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi Group, Coca Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Disney, EY, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Pepsi Co, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, and many others. He was also the only futurist invited to talk at the UN COP28 held in Dubai alongside world leaders.

Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.