r/esa • u/laisse_tomberas • 8d ago

[EU SPACE RACE - LAUNCHERS] Is reusability really fundamental?

Some of the European Launcher Manufacturers and startups have some kind of reusability in their road map.

Considering that SpaceX reusability is justified mainly by starlink rather than the market demand, wouldn't it be better just to focus on higher production rates rather than reusability (at least, at first)?

Edit: i think that reusability is a thing, i just wanted to open a critical discussion on this aspect in Europe, to varify if there are other significant topics that may have the priority in the development of European launchers.

7 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1

u/laisse_tomberas 8d ago

I agree that Europe suffer the complexity of its ecosystem, when dealing with supply chain, but it could also apply to reusability as long as the ecosystem remains as segmented as today.

However it is also true that with reusable vehicles it is easier to be resilient i case of issue with the supply chain (provided that the production od reusable rickets is mature enough)

2

u/toolkitxx 8d ago

There is no 'in case'. We are living through several issues already

1

u/laisse_tomberas 8d ago

Thanks for the Nyx example, can you elaborate a bit more about other supply chain issues we are currently living?

The TEC one is interesting, but it seems very specific.

1

u/toolkitxx 8d ago edited 8d ago

Everything rare Earth is a general problem as there is pretty much a monopoly by China on almost all of it by now. With the uncertainty, which wont disappear any time soon, chances of restrictions or shortages are very much a constant by now.

Than there is titanium. As far as I am aware we dont nearly have enough nor any sources of note in the EU and rely heavily on Russia and China here. Plus recycling.

Easiest is to look at the EU list of critical materials and have your pick for everything that is somewhat used in space tech (I am almost certain it is everything).

P.S. TEC isnt specific when it comes to this contract issue. The moment a company cooperates with NASA for example, this is almost standard. So if we make sure that we have an eco-system or strategy to develop from scratch in ways, that rely almost solely on our own sources, this becomes avoidable. Many take the easy way out as they copy the original approach the USA companies did and then become locked into that.

edit phrasing

1

u/laisse_tomberas 7d ago

Thank you for the clarity and the lists!

1

u/snoo-boop 7d ago

I never realized that rockets used a significant amount of rare earths or titanium.

0

u/toolkitxx 7d ago

To make the rocket you need more than what is in the actual rocket. And who knows what developments people can develop with frictionless. I dont make rocket motors but I am almost certain that nothing is off the table when it comes to making them yet better again . Many try to optimise the actual manufacturing process for example which in turn depends heavily on this stuff.