SpaceX: Reusable vs Expendable Rockets (2011)
by Anonymous
SpaceX bet on reusable rockets when the entire industry said it was impossible. After multiple failed landings, the Falcon 9 first stage landed successfully in 2015, reducing launch costs by an order of magnitude.
Reusable First Stage
2011-2015
year
$28 million (reused) vs $62M (new)
cost per launch
Impossible — every prior attempt failed
industry consensus
Succeeded — transformed space industry
outcome
Expendable (Industry Standard)
Standard
year
$100-400 million per launch
cost per launch
Proven, reliable
industry consensus
Being replaced by reusable rockets
outcome
Like this comparison? Make it your own.
Sign up to use as templateMore in History
Korean War: Cross the 38th Parallel (1950)
Cross and Unify Korea vs Stop at 38th Parallel
Library of Alexandria: Universal Knowledge Repository (3rd Century BCE)
Universal Library (All Knowledge) vs Specialized Royal Archive
Florence: Medici Banking Innovation (1397)
Financial Innovation (Bills of Exchange) vs Traditional Lending
South Africa: Negotiation vs Armed Struggle (1990)
Negotiated Transition vs Continued Armed Struggle vs Maintain Apartheid
Qin Shi Huang: Unify or Federate China (221 BCE)
Centralized Empire vs Feudal Federation
Printing the Bible in Vernacular Languages (1520s)
Vernacular Translation vs Latin Only (Church Position)