The Falcon 9 second stage during powered landing (Souce: SpaceX).

SpaceX presented an animation of a fully reusable Falcon 9 (codename Grasshopper) with Dragon capsule during an appearance at the National Press Club on September 29, 2011. The video shows reentry and vertical return of both stages, as well as the Dragon capsule. According to Elon Musk, SpaceX founder and CEO, reusing the Falcon 9 rocket could lead to a 100-fold decrease in launch costs. Reuse could in fact reduce the cost per flight, considering a unit cost of $50 million and a fuel cost of just about $200,000 per flight.

The Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) are the only existing example of reusable rockets, but they are recovered from the ocean after a parachute guided splashdown, and their refurbishment requires a complete disassembly and subsequent reassembly of the rocket motor. SpaceX is currently working on a prototype to be tested at its facility in McGregor, Texas. The development is expected to take 3 years.

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Andrea Gini

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Andrea Gini is a content strategy consultant specialized in companies of the space sector. He is founder of Space Safety Magazine, where he held the position of Editor-in-Chief until March 2015. Between 2011 and 2013 he worked in the European Space Agency in the Independent Safety Office, which overviews the utilization of the International Space Station. He previously worked as Software Developer, IT Consultant, and trainer of Java-related technologies. Andrea holds a BSc and an MSc in computer science from the University of Milano, a Master in Communication of Science from the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste and a MSc in Space Studies from the International Space University.

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