Elon Musk says it is “nuts” that valuable space hardware like rockets are allowed to “just smash back to Earth”, sharing conference content where he compared rocket stages to “pallets of cash”.
“Imagine a pallet of cash falling from space, about to burn up. Would you try to save it? Probably yes,” says Musk in the clip he shared on 12 August, adding that “‘The Falcon has landed’ almost 500 times”.
The manufacture of first-stage booster constitutes about 60% of the launch price of a single expended Falcon 9, according to Musk – the workhorse Falcon system has now seen recovery of 485 Falcon 9 first-stage boosters out of 498 attempts.
SpaceX has also caught its Starship boosters through its “chopsticks” system at its launch base in Texas twice.
Commenting on Musk’s posts, Jon Edwards, VP of Falcon and Dragon at Space X says the firm has proven “it’s possible to recover/reuse an orbital-class booster,” and that such technology is “economically beneficial.”
“Yet no one else has achieved this and many launch vehicle companies aren’t even trying,” he said.
Other firms pushing reusable
While SpaceX is the undisputed leader in operational reusability, a growing number of companies are developing technologies around the potential $1.8 trillion space economy, offering investors bullish on reusable tech diversification opportunities beyond SpaceX.
Reusable rockets not only cut launch expenses by up to 70% – for example, a reused Falcon 9 costs under $30 million against $62 million new – but also allow increased launch cadence.
| Company | System | Status as of 2025 | Key notes for investors |
| Blue Origin (USA) | New Glenn (first stage reusable); Project Jarvis (fully reusable) | Orbital debut achieved January 2025 (successful flight but no booster recovery yet); Jarvis in development with timeline undisclosed | Backed by Jeff Bezos; focus on heavy-lift could compete in government contracts (e.g., NASA Artemis). Watch for partnerships with ULA or Amazon’s Kuiper constellation for revenue stability. |
| Stoke Space (USA) | Nova (100% reusable two-stage) | In development; selected for US Space Force NSSL Phase 3; hop tests ongoing | Raised significant VC; emphasizes rapid reusability for 20x cost reduction to orbit. Ideal for investors eyeing national security space ops; monitor milestones like full orbital tests for valuation spikes. |
| Relativity Space (USA) | Terran R (reusable first stage) | In development; iterative 3D-printed designs for faster iteration | VC-funded ($1.3B+ raised); targets constellation deployment. Investors should track manufacturing efficiencies as a moat against delays. |
| Rocket Lab (USA/New Zealand) | Neutron (reusable medium-lift) | In development; first flight NET 2025 | Publicly traded (RKLB); proven with Electron launches. Reusability could boost margins; watch earnings for progress on constellation clients like Globalstar. |
| China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC, state-owned) | Long March 10 (reusable variants, 4m/5m diameter) | Debut flights planned 2025-2026; supports lunar missions | Signals China’s push for low-cost access; consider indirect exposure via global supply chains or ETFs avoiding sanctions. Commercial spin-offs like LandSpace, Deep Blue Aerospace, and iSpace are testing hops for orbital reuse. |
| European Firms (ESA-backed) | ArianeGroup’s Themis/MaiaSpace (reusable boosters); Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum 2 (potential reuse); Rocket Factory Augsburg and The Exploration Company (high-thrust engines for reuse) | Early development; hop tests for Themis progressing toward 2025; ESA funding via European Launcher Challenge (preselected in July 2025) | EU subsidies reduce risk; investors in European aerospace (e.g., Airbus/Safran) could benefit from tech spillovers. Monitor 2025 ESA ministerial for funding extensions: additional challengers like Orbex and PLD Space also selected |
Disclaimer: Space Tech Finance is not a financial advisor. Please consult your financial advisor for advice on space investment.
