Party Trick
The party trick technology demonstration of reverse landing the rocket is pretty neat, but it it really a cost effective way forward ?? Think of all the extra fuel needed to be carried all the way into space and back to allow this. I struggle to see how this can remotely be cheaper than other re-entry methods, gliding a stub winged craft for a wheeled airstrip landing, or parachutes and recovery etc.
I can see a slightly wonky landing easily toppling the Falcon 9 over, to a huge explosion.
Materials science, partly down to NASA, has moved on hugely since the design of the Space Shuttle.If a next gen the space shuttle, like the Lockheed Martin VentureSta or similarr, was properly developed today... it would be a very different beat to the venerable 1970/1980's designed space shuttle.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
