Don't they have to get FAA approval first, especially since they have a commercial payload? And doesn't thatrequire lots more testing than they've done?
Actually to my understanding they've already filed for (and maybe received their launch
license). To add to what others have said, the Falcon is a semi-reusable vehicle. The
basic idea is that they want to try and fish their first-stage back out of the ocean, clean
it up, and if it is still flight worthy, use it again. Since that is the method they are using,
the liscensing I don't think is any different than a normal TSTO ELV. I don't think the
regulations really distinguish between an RLV of this flavor and an ELV, because both
of them operate nearly identically, except for having to have a boat fish the stage out
of the water before reflight.
As for if the reusability is just a PR gimmick as per Henry, I actually think that is no longer
true. From what I've seen, SpaceX is really intending to recover and try to reuse the first
stage. Their initial price level of $6M/flight was made assuming that the reusability wouldn't
work, but I've seen mention somewhere that if the stage does end up being reusable that they
intend to lower the prices a bit. They have built in parachutes and other needed equipment,
and are seriously going to attempt this, so I wouldn't just call it a PR gimmick. More like an
experiment in reusability. If they do pull it off succesfully, it could be a real benefit IMO.
Anyhow, the proof in the pudding will be in the tasting, and that comes up in March. I wish
them luck on that.
~Jon Goff
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