Private initiative in space has proven to be viable, as well as more economical and innovative than the large state programmes of the past.
Every generation is fortunate enough to witness certain events that involve breakthroughs for the development of mankind. In our case, and within the context of the space race, we are witnessing the emergence and success of private sector in space explorationThis was certainly unthinkable a few decades ago.
The last major event in this field has been the launch of the tenth trial Starship Super Heavy, the largest shuttle that mankind has ever seen. Before this milestone, SpaceX allowed us to enjoy the flight of the first manned spacecraft developed entirely by a private company, which took two astronauts to the International Space Station. It was with the module Crew Dragon, powered by a reusable rocket Falcon 9, the architect of these missions.
Apart from the many curiosities that arise in a mission like this, some of which we have collected in our infographic, it is a good moment to reflect on the entrepreneurial effort The success of such a milestone and the consequences that may follow.
SpaceX is a relatively young company, having been founded in 2002 by the restless billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. Just six years later, in 2008, it was already the first private company to launch a private rocket into orbit. And two years later it was even able to recover the rocket for reuse. His goal, however, was clear from the beginning and was none other than to to be a leader in the space race, explore space but, above all, take the right steps to one day colonise the planet Mars. And it's well on its way.
A manned space mission is no simple matter. The company has previously used its shuttles to deliver supplies to the International Space Station, but considering the possibility of a manned flight required a series of extraordinary operational guarantees. In addition, its business approach is based on the realisation of commercially competitive flights so that third parties (and states) could be tempted to use your services. The approach of Reusable rockets He was one of the pillars of the project and there is no doubt about the success achieved, despite the logical and expected initial setbacks.
SpaceX has demonstrated that private initiative in space can be much more economical and less burdensome for taxpayers than large state programmes, as is the case in other facets of our society.
Many years of testing, many systems developed, and many people involved.
In the infographics We try to recover some of the most relevant data from the early days of SpaceX and some of its most relevant missions, with anecdotes and curiosities that will allow us to better understand the complexities and challenges faced by companies that try to breaking down barriers and reaching beyond the known horizon.
