Recovery Of Booster At Sea Seen As A Significant Step

By now, you know that SpaceX was able to land a Falcon 9 booster on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean following the launch of a supply ship to ISS.

Financial Analyst The Motley Fool says Boeing and Lockheed Martin should pay close attention to the accomplishment, as it represents a significant development in reducing the costs of space launches.

The Motley Fool says that if SpaceX is successful in bringing the cost of launches down to its target range of $200,000 to $300,000 using previously-flown boosters, Boeing and Lockheed will find it very difficult to compete in that price range.

SpaceX plans to test the booster it recovered at sea to assure its readiness for another flight, though no company has yet agreed to take a gamble on a previously-flown rocket. SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell says the company should be able to offer a 30 percent discount to a company willing to take that risk, which would bring the current cost of a launch from $60 million to $40 million.

FMI: Full Article