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Astronomy cast episode 652 the rocket race towards reusability. Welcome to astronomy cast

of Tennessee.

Well, last week, I was extremely overwhelmingly ambivalent this week.

I am more encouraging.

I'm shifting to the positive side of ambivalence.

All right.

Well, last week, we talked about how single-use rocketry has changed over time.

And the role it still plays in launching payloads into orbit and beyond today will address

the stainless steel elephant in the room and talk about the shift to reusability.

All right.

So, again, last week, we talked about single-use rockets and their declining role, their

but still important role in sending payloads into space, especially beyond low-earth orbit.

But the competition to single-use rocket, the wildly bizarre idea of using things multiple

times is catching up quick or has utterly surpassed or is casting a long shadow over a single-use

rocket tree.

So, what's the history?

I mean, we all know the idea.

What is the history of reusing a rocket?

And why hasn't this been done until now?

That I don't know.

So, the question that plagued me while prepping the show, and then I will answer your question.

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