SpaceX's next launch marks the beginning of the company's ambitious goals including frequent launches and sending a dangerous bacteria to space. The space exploration company is showing its investors and the world just how driven they are.
According to LosAngelesTimes, SpaceX is aiming for a short interval between each of their launches. SpaceX's next launch could be as frequent as just two weeks after its last launch.
SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell mentioned that, after renovations for their alternate launch pad are finished, they could launch once every after two weeks. Aerospace analyst Bill Ostrove mentioned that SpaceX should focus on having frequent launches otherwise, they might raise some doubts from their investors.
SpaceX is planning to launch what they believe is the most powerful operational rocket in the world, the Falcon Heavy. In its first stage, Falcon Heavy will be fitted with 3 Falcon 9 engine cores.
The Falcon Heavy will eventually be able to go on deep space explorations in the future. SpaceX is also planning a test launch of their experimental capsule on November. The space capsule will eventually accommodate live astronauts in the future.
In fact, a capsule carrying a live crew is already scheduled to launch on May next year. Once successful, SpaceX would have addressed another concern that Ostrove raised.
Another one of SpaceX's goal is to be more resourceful in their launches by recovering parts from used rockets. The company plans to efficiently reuse the parts and refurbish new rockets.
Meanwhile, SpaceX is also planning another mission, one that involves sending a deadly super bacteria to space. According to ScienceAlert, SpaceX is planning to dispatch Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus to the International Space Station.
The goal is to observe how the dangerous bacteria MRSA responds to space's microgravity conditions. In doing this, scientists will be able to develop an antibiotic that can combat lethal bacteria such as MRSA by planning ahead of its mutation.
A previous experiment showed that bacteria growth is accelerated in space compared to the ones on Earth. This is likely due to space's microgravity and radiation that can help accelerate the mutation of bacteria. SpaceX's next launch is due next week, February 18.
