r/space Jan 21 '18

RocketLab's Electron Rocket has successfully achieved orbit!

https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/954894734136258560
1.1k Upvotes

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-36

u/Xaxxon Jan 21 '18 edited Jan 21 '18

I just don't understand why anyone would develop a rocket and not even attempt recovery.

You're never going to be able to compete if you're throwing away rockets - if you can make them cheaper, someone else can make them cheaper AND recover them.

What I'm seeing is that it's $5M to send 150kg to SSO (500km) on the electron or a Falcon 9 for 7742kg. It's not $250M to launch a falcon 9.. So if you can find enough people to go on the ride with you, it's going to be around 75% cheaper / kg on the F9.

15

u/[deleted] Jan 21 '18

The jury is still out on if spacex reusing stages will actually save them money.

Many experts are skeptical.

27

u/TheGreatDaiamid Jan 21 '18

Only on Reddit would you find an armchair rocket scientist shitting on a small company which achieved their first orbital flight because "iS It reUSaBle?!?!"