#US #SpaceX #AirForce #space #rockets #Falcon9 #Boeing #LockheedMartin
The head of the Air Force Space Command said that the US Air Force was open to buying rides on SpaceX rockets that have already been used before. Just a week ago, SpaceX launched a communications satellite on a Falcon 9 booster that previously put a cargo ship into orbit for NASA, creating history and the idea of re-using rockets a reality.
Military and National security satellites, which were previously only sent by United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Lockheed Martin and Boeing, will now also be sent using the SpaceX re-usable rockets. However, the company already has a backlog of more than 70 missions worth more than $10 billion.
The current cost of a basic Falcon 9 launch is $62 million currently, however SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and team is still looking to make it lower. SpaceX is also planning to have the rocket ready and launched within 24 hours after its landing back on Earth.
Wow. Some amazing things going on, this can affect the fate of large organizations like Boeing, Lockheed Martin and others. But at the same time, this ushers a new era of space launches and innovation.
LiveSid 