SpaceX beats all records in the number of missile launches

This year, until the end of which remains a little less than three months, SpaceX successfully completed 13 launches of its missiles. All of them are commercial, that is, the company receives money with each new launch. Compared to other companies, the SpaceX margin is lower, but Ilon Musk never set himself the goal of getting more money by exposing high prices. On the contrary, the SpaceX strategy is to increase the number of missile launches due to the low cost of the contract. Less price - more customers - more starts - more money.



Everything is quite simple. Of course, due to the fact that the launch cost is quite low, SpaceX loses more than others if something goes wrong. But the company is doing everything to reduce the number of accidents, trying to secure an advantage on all fronts. So far, this strategy is justified. In the near future, SpaceX plans to launch two more launches of its Falcon 9 launch vehicle.



Initially, the first launch was scheduled for October 9th. But for some unknown reason, it was moved to the 11th. On October 11, the Falcon 9 rocket should launch 10 Iridium communications satellites into orbit. The height of the orbit will be about 700 km. This will be the third of eight launches of satellites for Iridium, which will allow the company to fulfill the plan for creating a new satellite network with updated elements.



As for SpaceX, the company plans to return to Earth the first stage of the Falcon 9. Landing will be carried out on the barge "Just Read the Instructions”, which is located in the Pacific Ocean. As usual, the webcast will be available to broadcast this event - it starts 15-20 minutes before launch.



In addition, another launch is scheduled for this Wednesday. In this case, Falcon 9 will launch an SES-11 / EchoStar communication satellite into geostationary orbit. A feature of the launch will be that the company plans to use the reconstructed rocket stage, which previously flew, to go into space. This is the third such attempt. Hopefully, it will also be successful. The used stage will be returned to Earth, it must land in the Atlantic Ocean.



If everything goes well, then both launches will allow the company to set a new record - SpaceX in this case will bypass any other organization or country by the number of launches into space. SpaceX has 20 launches scheduled for this year, and, in principle, there are no particular obstacles that would prevent Ilon Mask’s company from fulfilling its intended goal.





Meanwhile, the company is making progress on other fronts. For example, last month, SpaceX showed a space suit of its own design.







In the photo, a man in a spacesuit poses next to the manned spacecraft Crew Dragon, which in the future will be used for flights to the ISS. The company worked on this spacesuit in conjunction with NASA.



Well, in late September, SpaceX showed a new BFR rocket, which can immediately replace the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Dragon. Firstly, it is universal. Secondly, the rocket will be fully and completely reused. With its help, it will be possible to carry out flights from point A to point B on Earth, as well as interplanetary flights. Plus, BFR will allow to deliver cargo to the ISS. The rocket size is 106 meters and its diameter is 9 meters. The rocket booster uses 31 Raptor engines, on the very spacecraft of such engines - nine.







BFR carrying capacity will be 150 tons - about five times more than the super-heavy Falcon Heavy rocket.



According to the company, the rocket will be very reliable due to the large number of engines. If even one of them fails, the rest can be used, for example, to commit a landing. In addition, the accuracy of the landing will be very high.



In general, almost all the space projects Mask pursue one goal - flights to Mars. Mask earns money for the implementation of this mission, or at least part of it, in various ways, including the "space cart". At the moment, SpaceX has very few competitors. If Ilon Mask succeeds in accomplishing all his plans, then the person will be able to go both to the Moon and to Mars, where colonies will be organized. Without this, according to Musk, the development of civilization will come to a standstill.