Full Reusability (Rockets)

Type

Technology

Benefits

Reduced launch costs, increased mission frequency, democratized space access, fosters innovation, limits environmental impact, increased reliability over time.

Trade-off

Reusable rockets typically cannot loft as heavy a payload as expendable variants of the same design.

Definition

The ability of a rocket or its components to be launched, recovered, refurbished, and relaunched multiple times.

Market Growth Rate

Expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 15% through the 2030s.

Primary Goal (SpaceX)

Achieve full reusability for the Starship program.

Key Engineering Challenge

Development of a durable, fully reusable Orbital Heat Shield.

Key Technologies Involved

Flight control surfaces, heat shields, thrust vector control, sophisticated flight software, advanced landing systems (grid fins, thrusters), retropropulsion, VTVL landings.

1960s

1986

Late 1980s

1993

Ongoing

Within the next year

Fully reusable rockets are designed to be launched, recovered, refurbished and relaunched multiple times. Rockets typically consist of stages that separate during the ascent phase. While traditional rockets discard these stages after use, reusable rockets employ advanced technologies such as flight control surfaces, heat shields, thrust vector control and sophisticated flight software to guide and land them safely back on Earth. [...] #### Reliability and safety: The impact of fully reusable rockets on reliability and safety is both promising and complex. Reusability can increase reliability over time as rockets undergo more frequent flights, allowing for consistent monitoring, data analysis and iterative improvements. SpaceX’s Falcon 9, for example, has proven that rockets can be reused multiple times, with the company refining designs after each flight, thus enhancing overall safety. [...] The advent of fully reusable rockets marks a transformative era in space exploration and industry. By significantly reducing launch costs and increasing mission frequency, space access becomes democratised, fostering innovation and competition across various sectors. Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are leading this revolution, making space more accessible and affordable.

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is yet another example of a successful reusable rocket project. Rocket Lab has pioneered an innovative approach to reusability, using a helicopter to catch the rocket's first stage in mid-air as it descends. This method minimizes the risk of damage during landing and reduces the need for extensive refurbishment, enhancing operational efficiency. The Electron rocket's reusability has made it a popular choice for small satellite launches, providing cost-effective [...] According to industry analysts, the reusable rocket market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 15% through the 2030s. This growth is driven by several key factors, including increased demand for satellite launches, the emergence of space tourism, and the exploration of new business models such as in-space manufacturing and resource extraction. The reduction in launch costs associated with reusability is a major catalyst for this expansion, making space missions [...] Reusable rockets are designed to return to Earth after delivering their payload to space, allowing them to be refurbished and reused for subsequent missions. This process involves advanced landing systems, such as grid fins and thrusters, which enable controlled descents and safe landings. After recovery, the rocket undergoes refurbishment to prepare it for the next flight, minimizing costs and maximizing launch frequency. What are the cost benefits of reusable rocket technology?

DEFINED In simple terms, reuse or reusability can be defined as: the repeated use of a product. According to this simple definition, all rocket engines are reusable since they are designed for repeated starts. Heald believes “launch vehicle components are inherently reusable, usually tested for at least 10 times their expected usage; no parts are designed to fail after one flight .” However, these multiple starts were used for ground testing not flight. Engines such as the F-1 (20 starts, 2250 [...] can serve as the point of departure for the next generation of rocket engines, especially in the pursuit of reusability. As material properties, processes, and analysis continue to improve, the incorporation of these advances can only enhance reusability. These materials can increase the useful service life of components with higher failure rates, like turbomachinery and MCC . In the future, advance manufacturing techniques may prove to be beneficial to reusable systems. The incorporation of

In 1986 President Ronald Reagan called for an air-breathing scramjet National Aerospace Plane (NASP)/X-30. The project failed due to technical issues and was canceled in 1993. In the late 1980s a fully reusable version of the Energia "Energia (rocket)") rocket, the Energia II, was proposed. Its boosters and core would have had the capability of landing separately on a runway. [...] | Rocket Lab | Neutron "Neutron (rocket)") | First stage (includes fairing) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13,000 kg (reusable) 15,000 kg (expended) | 2025 | Planned | | Stoke Space | Nova "Nova (fully reusable launch vehicle)") | Fully reusable | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,000 kg (reusable) 5,000 kg (stage 2 expended) 7,000 kg (fully expended) | 2025 | Planned | | CAS Space | Kinetica-2") | First stage | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12,000 kg | 2025 | Planned | [...] The General Dynamics Nexus was proposed in the 1960s as a fully reusable successor to the Saturn V rocket, having the capacity of transporting up to 450–910 t (990,000–2,000,000 lb) to orbit. See also Sea Dragon "Sea Dragon (rocket)"), and Douglas SASSTO.