Space travel: what does SpaceX's coup mean?
SpaceX, Elon Musk's space exploration company, has scored a spectacular success: in a test manoeuvre the 70-metre-long Super Heavy booster part of its Starship rocket system made a safe return to its launchpad on Earth, where it was caught by giant mechanical arms. There is a round of applause – and a few side-swipes – from the media.
A huge step for humanity
In a Telegram post published by Echo, Ukrainian film director Alexander Rodnyansky compares such technological breakthroughs with Russia's current backwardness:
“While one part of humanity is organising bloody and unjust wars, and fighting LGBT, quadrobing [people dressing up as animals] and childfree communities to defend impunity for domestic violence in the name 'traditional values', other parts of humanity are building the future. They are working on artificial intelligence and making preparations for flights to other planets. ... Elon Musk has long dreamed of making space launches as cheap and efficient as possible, paving the way for human interplanetary missions. ... Humanity is now one step closer to exploring other planets.”
Space travel just got a lot more affordable
The successful landing of the booster marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of space travel, The Economist applauds:
“The landing was a triumph for the engineers of SpaceX. ... It strongly suggests that the company's plans to use a huge reusable booster to launch a huge reusable spacecraft, the Starship proper, on a regular basis are achievable. That means that the amount of cargo that SpaceX can put into orbit for itself and its customers, including the American government, is set to grow spectacularly in the second half of this decade. And the cost per tonne of putting that stuff up there should be reduced dramatically.”
Musk has put Europe to shame
The success of SpaceX highlights the shortcomings of the European space programme, says The Spectator:
“Europe is currently unable to launch even its own weather satellites. ... Europe's space agency (the UK remains a member) is an example of European hubris at its absolute worst, its failures a masterclass in how not to be globally competitive, while spending billions on institutional grandiosity. The European Space Agency, which presides over Europe's failed efforts, has a budget of 7.8 billion euros and a staff of around 2,500. ArianeGroup, which is subsidised by ESA, employs 8,300 people. Between them, they are unlikely to produce a reusable rocket before 2030.”