08-24-2017, 05:56 PM
This core is probably (though SpaceX doesn't bother keeping us space geeks up to date) one of the newer "Block IV" designs, which should be reusable up to "dozens" of times... The eventual goal of the next iteration, the "Block V", is "up to 100 times".
They will definitely TRY for all three core recovery for the Falcon Heavy Demo flight, but if that fails they're not out anything, as those cores paid for themselves fully on their first launch.
And yes, only 7 of this years cores were new... and they've still got 7-8 from last year. So they have quite a number of flight proven cores.
They probably will until customers are a little more comfortable with the idea of a "used" rocket. Once a stage hits 5 re-uses, I think we'll see conservative resistance crumble, IMHO, and customers will be booking "Flight Proven" stages.
Right now, most of the contracts they are launching now were signed 4-5 years ago, well before they started recovering them.
They will definitely TRY for all three core recovery for the Falcon Heavy Demo flight, but if that fails they're not out anything, as those cores paid for themselves fully on their first launch.
And yes, only 7 of this years cores were new... and they've still got 7-8 from last year. So they have quite a number of flight proven cores.
They probably will until customers are a little more comfortable with the idea of a "used" rocket. Once a stage hits 5 re-uses, I think we'll see conservative resistance crumble, IMHO, and customers will be booking "Flight Proven" stages.
Right now, most of the contracts they are launching now were signed 4-5 years ago, well before they started recovering them.