Topic > Why do private companies take part in space exploration?

“Elon Musk's SpaceX sent a cargo capsule loaded with supplies to the International Space Station into orbit Saturday morning, but the company's unprecedented attempt to land the craft's first-stage rocket on an ocean barge it turned out to be rocky and damaged the booster” ( Peterson “A Partial Success…” 1). SpaceX is trying to build a rocket that can be reused, something never done before in space travel. This rocket would greatly reduce the cost of space travel, and while they didn't succeed this time, they came close and plan to test it again. SpaceX has already demonstrated that it can exceed the limits set. “So far, only governments have managed to harness the capital and intellectual muscle needed to launch rockets into orbit” (Seedhouse 4). SpaceX managed to break this boundary, as it was able to send a rocket into orbit to resupply the ISS. Another improvement is the different types of shuttles. Companies will have different shuttles for certain missions, and these will vary from company to company, offering a variety of shuttles that can be used. “The SpaceX vehicle is designed to return to Earth, which allows us to bring home some of the science aboard the station,” says NASA spokesman Joshua Byerly. “The orbital vehicle is designed to allow us to fill it with junk and be destroyed upon re-entry” (Aron 2). These vary