ELI5. If the weight of rocket fuel is so important, why do SpaceX boosters waste a ton of fuel landing themselves?
In: Engineering
That’s the whole point of their boosters: they can be re-used. Historically they’ve just been ditched after their fuel tanks are empty and left to fall into the ocean, destroyed on impact for sure. SpaceX is trying to save money by making them land themselves for re-use rather than having to build them over and over again.
Yes, it means the rockets are a bit heavier for the capability and its own fuel requirements. I don’t know what the boosters cost, I’d bet a few million dollars easily. If they can be re-used it sounds like a win to me.
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