SpaceX, another Elon Musk company, launched its 67th rocket of the year this past Tuesday. That amounts to a launch every 4 days. SpaceX is on pace for 90 launches this year and no one is really excited about it.

This lack of excitement is intentional.

The Drive to Commercialize Space

SpaceX is driving hard to make space port launches as ubiquitous as takeoffs and landings at the airport. Its aim is to take the magic out of successful launches and its accomplishing that mission. SpaceX webcams were often full of spectacle loaded with pre-countdown anticipation and a sigh of relief once a rocket passed MaxQ.

Tuesday night’s Starlink webcast was barely watched as SpaceX’s 67th launch went off without a hitch. And no one really watched. They’ve had a 100 percent success rate since a pad explosion in 2016. The Falcon 9 launch vehicle used for Tuesday’s launch has been refurbished and reused 16 times. This is a real feat in reusable spacecraft. SpaceX engineers estimate its vehicles can be reused up to 25 times.

Moving to X

Since Elon Musk’s takeover Twitter, SpaceX launches have moved from YouTube to X/Twitter. The switch impacted the quality of launches resulting in lower quality webcasts and fewer views. NASA has begun webcasting their own launches often times with space celebrities hosting the events.

Right now, space launches are still magical. I know El Jefe geeks out on every ISS and Artemis mission. But he did work at NASA so that explains that.

Once upon a time, you had to be rich in order to afford air travel in America. Over time, planes got safer and cheaper. A flight between DC and Asheville will only cost you a $100 for an hour flight saving 7 hours of your time. An easy bargain.

I’m hopeful SpaceX finishes another year with a 100% success rate. That brings us one year closer to commercial space travel for the masses.

-MJ