3 ms·

But we do have just airplanes that are 100% reusable. So far, Rocket Lab only talks about reusing the first stage; second-stage reuse is hard, and a huge cost s

But we do have just airplanes that are 100% reusable. So far, Rocket Lab only talks about reusing the first stage; second-stage reuse is hard, and a huge cost savings. But maybe until Starship gets the launch rate to reach its potential, there's room for smaller rockets with disposable upper stages. SpaceX is banking on the space industry expanding well beyond megaconstellations, but that will take a few years. By the time we get there, maybe other companies will manage reusable upper stages too.

Robotbeat 6y ago
Right. Having a decent sized reusable first stage on Neutron gives RocketLab the option of a reusable upper stage down the road. It’s pretty tough to justify going for full reuse before you have even accomplished partial reuse. Something similar to the recovery method of Electron’s first stage would be appropriate for a reusable upper stage. (And at one time, SpaceX was planning it for Falcon 9’s upper stage... ballute/heatshield and parachute for Falcon 9 upper stage recovery).