The 21st Century Space Race: SpaceX, NASA, and Astronomical Discoveries

The future of space exploration is in the hands of none other than Elon Musk.

BY: CLAUDIA MINARDI

photo via SpaceX

Cover Image by Aniuska Ana Arango

“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” is what astronaut Neil Armstrong declared upon placing his feet on the moon’s surface. That day in 1969 will forever be cemented in human history. Since then, humans have accomplished far more than a moon landing, including launching the Hubble telescope and sending multiple rovers to Mars. 

The Birth of SpaceX

In 2002, there was another development in the astronomy world: the birth of SpaceX. Founded by billionaire Elon Musk, the company was created to cut out costs. The target has been on Mars from the very beginning and it is SpaceX’s mission to one day inhabit the red planet.

According to the SpaceX website, as of recently, there have been 119 launches, 81 landings, and 61 reflown rockets. September 28, 2008, was a day of many firsts: the company’s first launch, the first time the Falcon 1 liquid fuel rocket was deployed, and the Falcon 1 being the first privately developed rocket of its kind to reach the Earth’s orbit.

SpaceX prides itself on its innovative technology. Their ships and materials can be reused and, with enough development, will be able to carry humans to places across our solar system. The corporation believes the majority of money goes into one-time use rockets. By using ships with longer lifespans, costs are instantly cut. Their website goes on to explain that, “most rockets are designed to burn up on reentry, [whereas] SpaceX rockets can not only withstand reentry but can also successfully land back on Earth and refly again.”

Photo via Tesmanian

SpaceX vs NASA

For the longest time, NASA was the champion of space exploration. We have them to thank for many space-related discoveries and launches. Then SpaceX came into the equation and shifted the attention from a government organization to a privately owned corporation. 

At first glance, it may seem they are competitors. But it’s quite the opposite. In fact, the companies work together and collaborate on many space missions. After all, NASA is SpaceX’s number one customer. 

NASA’s decision to start using rockets from commercial companies was made in 2005 for the purpose of “[freeing] up enough funds to achieve a Moon return.” At the time, SpaceX was only a few years old and seized the opportunity. In the following years, SpaceX’s responsibilities increased, from transporting strictly cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) to flying astronauts into space.  

The first spaceflight with a crew was on May 30, 2020, where two astronauts were part of the Crew Dragon Demo-2. This launch marked almost 10 years since the United States put an end to its human space travel program. After shutting it down, American astronauts had to fly to the ISS using Russian rockets. Now, thanks to SpaceX, NASA has resurrected the program. American space explorers can travel and use equipment from the United States.

Photo via Acquired Podcast

Recent Launches and Missions

SpaceX has embarked on countless launches and landings. Every other day in the news, there is at least one story about a returning rocket or new plans for takeoff. The most recent launch was on May 4, also known as Star Wars Day. This launch, called Starlink, consisted of the Falcon 9 rocket sending 60 satellites into space. This is the company’s 13th launch so far this year.  

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Demo-2 astronauts launched in May 2020 and returned to Earth in early August of the same year. The trip lasted about 63 days in total.

However, that was just the demo. Since then, there have been the Crew-1 (November 2020) and Crew-2 (April 2021) missions. 

The Dragon and the four Crew-1 astronauts landed safely on Earth’s soil after 167 days in orbit. The SpaceX Crew-2 Dragon rocket and astronauts embarked on their space journey on April 23, 2021, and are expected to return after 180 days. This crew consisted of four members, an increase from the demo’s pair of astronauts. 

Photo via Engadget

Space X and Non-Space Related Missions 

Although SpaceX has dominated the headlines for its partnership with NASA, the company is working on a few independent projects.

When visiting the official SpaceX website, there is a mention of a “private passenger program.” This means that SpaceX is working towards sending average citizens out into orbit. The corporation is partnering with the business Space Adventures, which specializes in the world of space tourism. We shouldn’t have to wait too long for this project to take flight, in fact, it’s expected that by late 2021/early 2022, the private passenger program could be in motion. Of course, the four lucky passengers would have to pay for the trip, but nonetheless, it’s still breaking boundaries.

SpaceX founder, Elon Musk, also has areas of exploration and innovation that do not involve rocket launching and planet inhabiting.

According to a report by CNET, Musk has plans to use his space company to further his other projects. These include a transportation concept known as the Hyperloop, which involves capsules moving quickly through a tube. SpaceX hosted an annual Hyperloop Pod Competition where students design the transport capsules/pods, build them, and show how overall costs can be cut. Additionally, the SpaceX headquarters is home to a Hyperloop test track, ready for any advancements with the project. 

Photo via The Verge

So...Mars?

When is the long-awaited trip to Mars expected to happen? And better yet, what is SpaceX’s fascination with our planetary neighbour?

The company argues that it’s the closest to Earth, in both distance and livability. Its days are a comparable length to Earth’s, it gets a great deal of sunlight, and has gravity (albeit not as much as Earth). Mars can get quite cold, but SpaceX assures they can “warm it up.” 

The trip to Mars won’t be in the Dragon ships, as we have seen with other crewed launches. Instead, a whole new ship has been designed to withstand the journey: the Starship.

Elon Musk has stated that he doesn’t want humans to “be one of those single-planet species; we want to be a multi-planet species.” Based on the similarities Mars has with Earth, it would naturally be the best place for future migration. 

There isn’t a set date just yet, but SpaceX has said from the beginning that Mars was the main mission. As of right now, Musk is projecting 2026 to be the year humans land on our neighbouring planet. 

Overall, SpaceX went from being a small company to dominating every news story. Even the current pandemic isn’t slowing down their progress. Being a private corporation allows them to collaborate with government organizations like NASA, while also maintaining their freedom and working on standalone plans.

However, I can’t help but wonder if being a private company helps or harms space developments. NASA is a government organization with a duty to be transparent. Yet, SpaceX doesn’t owe the general public a glimpse into their planning. On the other hand, they are experiencing just as much publicity as NASA. Their launches and landings constantly make headlines and even Elon Musk’s SNL episode made history. We can only wait and see if private companies are the future of space exploration.

Since SpaceX is so active with all its launches and space missions, it can be tough to keep up. For instant updates on SpaceX’s launches, missions, and developments, follow their Twitter account. Past launches can be rewatched on SpaceX's official YouTube channel and/or website.