Since the space race, rocket technology has only been improving, but with the addition of many reusable rockets like Space X’s Falcon 9 will only take the advancements further.

By Alice Andersen – 6h grade.

You may have seen a bright streak across the sky in Los Angeles. Multiple times, even. The truth is, this bright light wasn’t a comet, or meteor , but a rocket. Rockets have been a key part of space travel since we began to explore the skies, and have only been developing since. 

SpaceX started developing reusable rockets to recycle parts and lower each launches’ cost. This specific rocket, Falcon 9, has already launched 43 times just this year, each time carrying a number of Starlink Satellites. And though this rocket is definitely not the first reusable rocket, it has launched the most out of all of them, its first launch on June 4th, 2010.

SpaceX was founded in 2002, by Elon Musk, with its ambitious mission: “MAKING HUMANITY MULTIPLANETARY”.  Soon after the organization departed, the first rocket, Falcon 1, was launched, carrying a few small satellites. But Falcon 1 was only meant as a debut rocket, as it was made of cheaper materials, and could only carry a certain amount of load. 

SpaceX also has the intention of creating reusable rockets. These would lower each launch’s cost due to the already available parts. Reusable rockets could change the future of rockets, as materials that make rocket parts could become harder and harder to find. Rockets like these could transport our shuttles and astronauts beyond the moon.