Musk’s Plea to Go Back to Space
When talking about the current state of the space industry, one name inevitably springs forward, Elon Musk.
The entrepreneur behind SpaceX, Elon is known for his far-reaching ideas, futuristic technologies, and his vision that is credited in single-handedly reshaping the trajectory of interplanetary exploration.
But why did he start SpaceX in the first place?
After waiting around for NASA to send people back to the Moon and not seeing any progress, Musk decided to take matters into his own hands.
In 2002, with $100M to personally invest and a profound belief in humanity’s destiny to become a multi-planetary species, SpaceX was born. Forming a small team and facing high stakes, Musk set out to defy the odds.
Musk identified two pivotal goals for SpaceX: to reduce space transportation costs and to make humanity multi-planetary. The need to slash space transportation costs was evident. According to NASA, they had spent an estimated $25.8 billion on the Apollo program, and around $113.7 billion over the life of the Shuttle program.
What’s the difference between Musks’s approach to reusable rockets and the Space Shuttles? Musk’s approach to reusable rockets would be different than the ‘reusable’ space shuttles from the late 20th century. The Space Shuttle program faced challenges due to compromises in funding, resulting in the selection of less reusable components like solid rocket boosters, whereas SpaceX developed a smaller, simpler rocket with economically viable options. This allowed them to attract commercial customers to fund reusability development.
With each shuttle mission costing $775 million, on average, to prepare and launch, on top of the above $1 billion cost to build each shuttle, Musk viewed the key to affordability of space travel as reusable rockets.
To do this, Musk had to build a rocket that hacked the rocket equation to allow enough payload to return the vehicle to the same launch pad to fly again. NASA had tried to achieve this in the 1990s with the Delta Clipper, but the program was canceled due to budget constraints - a recurring trend within the space industry.
However, Musk’s ambitions extended beyond mere economics.
He envisioned a future where humanity thrived on multiple planets, safeguarded against existential threats to Earth such as asteroid impacts and pandemics. Establishing colonies on Mars became a cornerstone of SpaceX’s mission, driven by Musk’s conviction in securing the enduring survival of humanity.
Initially, SpaceX prioritized satellite delivery as its primary focus, with plans to gradually transition towards human transportation. The development of the Falcon 1 - a small, reusable rocket designed to carry payloads into orbit - marked the inaugural project. However, the journey was fraught with challenges. Putting rockets into orbit is an incredibly difficult task. Musk reminds us that space is an unforgiving environment, and with “riding a controlled bomb into space, accelerating at 17,500 miles per hour, there is inherent risk.”
Technical hurdles, financial constraints, and operational issues plagued SpaceX’s early endeavors. From engine failures to regulatory hurdles, every setback was a lesson learned.
In March 2006, Musk gave himself and his team three attempts to launch the Falcon 1 successfully into orbit. The first attempt failed less than one minute after liftoff due to a fire in the main engine.
A year later, the second attempt made it farther, but had engine failure after 7.5 minutes. Pouring every ounce of determination into a third launch, they were only to be met with another setback - encountering a collision between stages 1 and 2. With fumes and finances dwindling, the situation seemed dire.
Yet, in the face of adversity, Musk forged ahead, recognizing the critical significance of a successful launch for the future of space exploration. With the weight of expectation bearing down upon them, SpaceX knew that proving themselves was paramount—not just for their own aspirations, but to garner the trust and collaboration of industry giants and specifically, NASA.
Finally, on the fourth attempt, success was achieved. In 2008, SpaceX’s Falcon 1 became the first privately developed launch vehicle to reach Earth orbit. Now, four entities have launched a space capsule into orbit and brought it successfully back to earth: U.S., Russia, China…and Elon Musk.
This triumph was not just a success for SpaceX, but symbolized a success for the space industry at large, proving that private companies can achieve this level of space infrastructure. Now, NASA can offload some work.
NASA’s Bold Bet: How Supporting SpaceX Ignited the Privatization of Space Exploration
NASA, at a juncture where tradition collided with innovation, found itself needing to make a change in its approach to space exploration. NASA was aware of SpaceX’s large ambitions and concrete progress. In 2006, two years before the success of Falcon 1, NASA engaged in an agreement with SpaceX called the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Demonstration (COTS). This contract awarded SpaceX $586 million over six years with the goal to perform three successful crewed missions, to prove their capabilities and to earn the trust of NASA.
But why did NASA throw its weight behind the privatization of the space industry, and why specifically did it place its bets on SpaceX?
“If anyone could break through the red tape and usher in a new era of space exploration, it would be Musk.”
For NASA, the decision to embrace privatization was driven by a desire to shake off the shackles of bureaucracy and propel humanity farther and faster into space. Their rocket fuel was Elon Musk, the futurist and entrepreneur with a penchant for disruption and a track record of defying the odds. “If anyone could break through the red tape and usher in a new era of space exploration,” former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine states, “it would be Musk.”
And so, NASA placed a bet on SpaceX, recognizing the company’s bold vision and unwavering determination to push the boundaries of what was possible.
But what sets SpaceX apart from traditional aerospace contractors? For starters, SpaceX isn’t afraid to take monumental risks. While NASA’s meticulous approach prioritizes caution and certainty before launch, taking time and resources, SpaceX embraces a fail-fast mentality, recognizing that innovation often blossoms from the ashes of failure.
As Bridenstine aptly put it, “SpaceX breaks things, sees what breaks, and fixes it from there.”
Sure, SpaceX had its fair share of setbacks along the way. But as Elon Musk himself famously quipped, “This is what the business is—we make mistakes, and we fix them the next day.”
Failure wasn’t a roadblock; it was a detour on the path to progress and eventual success of the reusable rocket.
However, the mission doesn’t culminate with payload launches; the next step for SpaceX involves transporting humans.
Obama Kennedy Space Center Visit
(April 2010) President Barack Obama tours the commercial rocket processing facility of SpaceX, along with Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Cape Canaveral, Fla. Obama also visited the NASA Kennedy Space Center to deliver remarks on the bold new course the administration is charting to maintain U.S. leadership in human space flight. Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
A Milestone for Private Partnerships and NASA: SpaceX Makes History with First Manned Mission to the ISS
In May 2020, amidst the adversities of the Covid pandemic, SpaceX launched mission SpaceX Demo-2, their first manned mission to validate the crew transportation system. The Falcon 1 rocket successfully launched payloads, and now it was time for Falcon 9 rocket to launch a crew. Stakes for this mission were extremely high: it aimed to send American astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a commercially built spacecraft for the first time in history. If successful, this would symbolize a ‘thumbs up’ to go ahead with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, a program to put private companies in the driver’s seat of providing safe, reliable, and cost-effective human transportation to and from the ISS from the U.S. and eventually the Moon.
Astronauts, fathers, and friends, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, were put on board SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Spacecraft on May 30th, 2020, with the responsibility of testing the Falcon 9 rocket and associated systems in a real-world scenario.
Bob Behnken
Bob Behnken is a seasoned astronaut with multiple spaceflights under his belt. Known for his calm demeanor and meticulous attention to detail, Behnken’s background as a mechanical engineer and test pilot made him the perfect candidate for this historic undertaking.
Doug Hurley
Doug Hurley, shared a similar background, having flown on two previous space shuttle missions and earning a reputation for his professionalism and leadership qualities.
In reflecting on their collaboration aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and a Falcon 9 rocket, Behnken underscores the paramount importance of their partnership and the critical role of trust, particularly in the high-stakes environment of space travel. He states, “Knowing that the person sitting next to you has your back, that’s what makes missions like these possible.”
Each step of the mission—from launch to docking—was fraught with challenges and uncertainty, but NASA, Musk, and the crew were prepared and considered the safety of the astronauts a top priority.
As Behnken and Hurley bid farewell to their families and launched toward the ISS, the world held its breath. The sense of optimism and excitement overwhelmed as the United States once again reached for the stars.
Building upon the previous success of Falcon 1, the success of this mission aboard the Falcon 9 rocket was a triumph not only for SpaceX and NASA but for the entire space industry. In reflecting on the mission, astronaut Doug Hurley remarked: “I think what SpaceX has done for us has given us an opportunity to look at our human spaceflight program in a different way. We’re just really grateful to be a part of that transition, to be a part of the evolution of the next era of human spaceflight.”
This milestone not only restored America’s ability to launch astronauts from its own soil, but also paved the way for regular crewed missions to the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Today
From 2020 to 2024, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program has been instrumental in reshaping the landscape of human spaceflight, leveraging partnerships with private companies to advance the agency’s goals of returning astronauts to the Moon and beyond. Key players in this endeavor include SpaceX and Boeing, each tasked with developing spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to and from the ISS, serving as vital components in NASA’s broader lunar exploration plans.
Since the success of the Demo-2 mission in 2020, SpaceX has significantly bolstered its Crew Dragon fleet, scaling up from just one spacecraft to an impressive total of four, while also logging an impressive tally of 10 missions. Among these flights are notable milestones, including the groundbreaking Inspiration4 mission, marking the inaugural fully commercial spaceflight, and the pioneering Axiom-1 mission, heralding the first fully commercial expedition to the International Space Station (ISS). With each mission, SpaceX has demonstrated its capability to reliably transport astronauts to the ISS and back, solidifying its role as a key partner in NASA’s space exploration endeavors.
For Musk, his first goal was accomplished: lower cost and increase access to space travel. Next, he’s headed towards the Moon and beyond.
As NASA prepares for missions to the Moon and Mars, the Commercial Crew Program plays a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for these missions while developing on what NASA has already explored.
As commercial companies can’t easily fund exploring Mars, for example, these private companies can take advantage of what NASA has already shown we can accomplish and commercialize it.
By fostering partnerships with commercial entities like SpaceX and Boeing, NASA not only reduces reliance on Russian Soyuz spacecraft for crew transportation but also stimulates innovation and competition in the space industry. The experience gained from crewed missions to the ISS provides invaluable insights and operational readiness for future lunar exploration missions, accelerating progress toward NASA’s Artemis program goals.
Through collaboration with companies like SpaceX and Boeing, NASA is not only revitalizing America’s leadership in space but also laying the groundwork for a sustainable and vibrant future of space exploration.
How NASA has supported SpaceX:
NASA’s support for SpaceX from its inception in 2002 has been multifaceted, ranging from technical assistance to financial collaboration.
1. Space Act Agreements: NASA entered into several Space Act Agreements with SpaceX, providing technical expertise, testing facilities, and resources to support the development of SpaceX’s launch vehicles and spacecraft.
2. Commercial Crew Development Program (CCDev): NASA awarded SpaceX a series of contracts to foster the development of commercial crew transportation capabilities to the International Space Station (ISS). These contracts provided funding to support SpaceX’s efforts to develop the Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket for crewed missions to the ISS.
3. Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS): Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS): Under this contract, SpaceX received funding to develop and demonstrate cargo resupply capabilities to the ISS using its Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket.
4. Launch Services Contracts: NASA has also awarded multiple launch services contracts to SpaceX, allowing the company to provide launch services for various NASA missions, including satellite deployments, scientific missions, and interplanetary exploration missions.