SpaceX Production Facility Tour
SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft, it’s business model is based on the premise that the costs of putting people and satellites in space can be significantly reduced if the rockets can be reused. This is because the majority of launch costs come from building the rocket (the fuel is only a small proportion of the costs of launch) so by reusing the first stage rocket, in the same way that commercial airliners make multiple flights the capital costs of rocket design and manufacture can be ‘repaid’ over multiple launches. To achieve this, SpaceX rockets are designed not only to withstand reentry, but also to return to the launch pad or ocean landing site for a vertical landing. In comparison other rockets currently used for orbital and sub orbital flight…