Costs between $60 million and $90 million per episode, estimated to be lowered to less than 30 million
On the 18th (local time) at the Kennedy Space Center 39A launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the Falcon 9 rocket of the US space company, which was equipped with 49 Starlink satellites for establishing a space internet network, flew into space drawing a parabolic trajectory. climbing. The photo shows the rocket as seen from Viera near the Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX has been promoting the establishment of a satellite internet network that can be accessed from remote areas of the earth with 12,000 Starlink satellites, and has already started service in some areas and has 145,000 subscribers. Yonhap News, provided by Florida Today.
It is reported that the US private space company SpaceX is planning 52 space launches this year. SpaceX is a company run by Elon Musk.
According to CNBC and other sources on the 29th, Sandra Magnus, a member of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Board (ASAP), a supervising body of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), said at a recent meeting that SpaceX is aiming for an ‘ambitious 52 launch waybill’ this year.
Last year, the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets were launched 31 times, setting the record for the most annual launches into orbit. This is one-fifth of the world’s total launch volume, which is estimated to be similar to that of China. However, it fell short of the 48th episode that Musk had set as his goal.
This year, we set a goal of increasing by more than two-thirds of last year’s launch, and conduct space launches as a ‘event once a week’.
SpaceX has already launched the Falcon 9 rocket three times this year. In addition, it plans to launch two more rockets within this month for the launch of the Italian Earth Observation Satellite, which has been delayed due to bad weather, and the additional launch of the Starlink satellite. It has already been launched once a week.
SpaceX has established a system that can reduce launch costs and shorten the rocket preparation period by recovering and recycling the first stage propellants of the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.
Space launches cost about 60 to 90 million dollars (72.7 billion to 19 billion won) per run, but SpaceX is said to be able to lower it to less than 30 million dollars (36.3 billion won).
The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket, which put 105 small satellites into orbit earlier this year, recorded 10 launches in 20 months after it was first used in a manned test flight of the ‘Crew Dragon’ in May 2020.
The Verge, an IT media outlet, said, “While Magnus, a former astronaut, praised SpaceX’s achievements, care must be taken this year so that both NASA and SpaceX do not become victims of their success.”
“Commissioner Magnus must give proper attention to NASA and SpaceX, prioritize NASA missions, and allocate desperately needed resources to safely maintain this pace,” he added.