To boldly go: SpaceX and the future of space exploration

Mankind has been exploring space since the 1950s – but until very recently, only national governments had the money, resources and technology to make space flight a reality. But Elon Musk’s SpaceX program has changed everything – and the future of space exploration has never looked brighter.

For the uninitiated, Elon Musk isn’t a cologne, but the highly successful CEO of Tesla Motors. But his interest in transport goes far beyond the electric car: he has his sights firmly set on space, and well-documented interest in the planet Mars.

A SpaceX launch in March 2015, viewed from about 40 miles away – Image by Michael Seely

Musk was the founder of software company Zip2 and the immensely popular PayPal – and these provided the capital to pursue his vision of man colonising other planets.

When he mooted the possibility of colonising Mars within twenty years a NASA employee referred to it as “the giggle factor”. Musk retorted “If there’s a giggle factor, maybe it’s because NASA have made so little progress in that direction.”

Indeed, as governments around the world have retreated from space exploration, it seems it’s been left to private companies to pick up the slack – and Musk’s SpaceX organisation is, without doubt, the biggest player.

THE HISTORY

Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 with the vision of building a simple and relatively inexpensive reusable rocket that could go into space over and over again.

At SpaceX headquarters in El Segundo, Los Angeles, the company is as vertically integrated as possible: by maximising in-house building and re-purposing components, costs are reduced considerably.

The technological innovations have come thick and fast: a new friction-stir welding process allows for rocket seams to be built with cheaper, stronger welds, and a customised 3D printer allows engine components to be created in days rather than weeks.

This all underlines the savings and innovation that commercial businesses bring to the space industry. Bob Linden of high-tech parts manufacturer Barber–Nichols recalled SpaceX ordering a turbo pump for under $1 million and within twelve months: “Boeing might do a project like that over five years for $100 million… we built it in thirteen months.”

The SpaceX hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California – Image by Steve Jurvetson

REACHING ORBIT

SpaceX’s first launch took place on 24th March 2006, with the explosive debut of the Falcon 1 rocket. But four seconds into its maiden flight, a fuel leak resulted in the rocket’s destruction – with its payload crashing through SpaceX’s factory roof on the Kwajalein Atoll.

On March 21st 2007 a second Falcon 1 rocket failed to reach orbit when the liquid oxygen fuel oscillating in the tanks caused instability and fuel starvation. Company spokesman Hans Koenigsmann, a German engineer, contrasted this favourably to the first failure saying “…at least it flew out of sight.”

The third Falcon 1 flight on August 3rd 2008 included the ashes of Star Trek’s James Doohan. The rocket, using a modified engine cooling system, was again destroyed when the residual thrust from the first stage caused it to collide with the second stage immediately after separation. While Doohan’s ashes went up in, well, ashes, it appeared SpaceX’s investment was also going the same way. SpaceX needed a success – and quickly.

Finally, on 28th September 2008, the Falcon 1, complete with a dummy payload, blasted off. Approximately 90 seconds into the flight, five seconds after the first stage completed its burn, the kestrel engine of the second stage dragon capsule roared into life – with the Falcon 1 finally becoming the first privately-built rocket to reach orbit. Elon, to great acclaim from the jubilant employees, proclaimed, “The fourth time is the charm, right?”

THE CUTTING (AND EXPLODING) EDGE

Since then, SpaceX has continued to innovate. Indeed, after inspecting the Falcon 9 rocket in April 2009, President Obama reiterated his view that the transporting astronauts to the ISS could be handed to the private sector.

This Falcon 9 launch in 2015 took NASA’s DSCOVR satellite into deep space – Image by Steve Jurvetson

Indeed, by late 2012, Falcon 9 rockets were routinely carrying out cargo resupply – or CRS – missions to the ISS. But Musk had further plans: throughout 2013, tests were undertaken on VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) technology – and by last year, the Falcon Full Thrust team were ready to undertake a full-scale test.

On 10th January 2015, due to hydraulic fuel failure, the first-stage rocket landed heavily on a floating platform and exploded. A second attempt on 14th April suffered from a stuck throttle valve, again causing the rocket to tip over and explode. Further calamity struck SpaceX on 28th June when, following a string of successful missions, the CRS-7 supply rocket exploded two and a half minutes after take-off.

But SpaceX are undeterred: on 21st December, jubilant SpaceX employees managed to land its orbital class, first-stage rocket back on terra firma after the Falcon 9 put 11 Orbcomm-OG2 second-generation satellites into orbit. A further landing in January resulted in another RUD (Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly) – despite a soft landing, a leg failed to lock and the rocket collapsed and exploded. Musk tweeted “Well, at least the pieces were bigger this time!”

In spite of the setbacks, the successes show that reusable rocket technology is truly feasible. This a massive coup for Musk’s vision: in his view, reusable rockets are essential if interest in space exploration is to be reignited.

Musk suggests prices of space launches could be reduced tenfold once rockets can be re-used. However, cost cutting apparently carries risks: “The list of people that would not mind if I was gone is growing,” says Musk. “My family fears that the Russians will assassinate me.”

Assuming that doesn’t happen, Musk’s ultimate objective is a manned mission to Mars. While national governments seem unwilling to invest in distant projects, Musk’s self-professed love for the red planet feeds his belief that it could happen within decades – giving him a chance to live his last days there: “It’d be pretty cool to die on Mars, just not on impact.”