Emphasis mine, reformatted:
While a major milestone for a private company, SpaceX’s most significant achievement has been in lowering the launch costs that have limited many space activities.
While making several modifications to the fuel and engines, SpaceX’s major breakthroughs have come through recovering and reusing as much of the rocket and launch vehicle as possible.
Between 1970 and 2000, the cost to launch a kilogram to space remained fairly steady, with an average of US$18,500 per kilogram. When the space shuttle was in operation, it could launch a payload of 27,500 kilograms for $1.5 billion, or $54,500 per kilogram.
For a SpaceX Falcon 9, the rocket used to access the ISS, the cost is just $2,720 per kilogram.
That amount puts space within a high school science class or club. (or a rich man’s hobby). Think about that – given what the “digital generation” is doing on the Internet from ALWAYS being connected, what would the “space generation” be able to do?
(H/T: The Conversation)
