US-based SpaceX's reusable rocket technology has fundamentally altered the cost of accessing space, propelling the US ahead in the global launch race. The first successful vertical landing of the Falcon 9 rocket in 2015 marked the beginning of a new era in space transportation.
While traditional expendable rockets can cost up to $160 million per launch, the reusable first stage of the Falcon 9 has reduced that cost to roughly $67 million. The cost per kilogram to orbit has dropped from $10,000 to $2,500. According to NASA data, reuse in Crew Dragon missions has saved over $500 million.
US launch leadership
The cost advantage has enabled the US to surpass China in global launch numbers. SpaceX's share of the global launch market rose from 22 percent in 2020 to 50 percent by the end of 2025. In 2025, the US conducted 55 percent of all launches, while China's share stood at 28 percent. That year, a total of 325 launches were carried out worldwide, 296 of them commercial, placing 4,434 satellites into orbit. Compared to the previous year, the number of satellites increased by 65 percent; the number of active satellites in orbit reached 14,266.
China's new capture system
Falling behind the US, China has accelerated its investments in reusable rockets. The Long March 10B rocket, launched on July 10 from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan province under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), performed its first successful controlled landing. Unlike SpaceX's leg mechanism, the rocket was caught by a cable-net system stretched across a floating platform in the South China Sea. Experts say this method eliminates the weight of landing gear on the rocket, providing greater fuel efficiency and payload capacity.
Europe and India's plans
The competition for reusable rocket technology has become a global race. Under India's ADMIRE program, initial vertical landing tests are targeted for 2027. The European Space Agency (ESA) plans the first vertical takeoff and landing test of its THEMIS demonstrator this year, while the Japan-France-Germany joint project CALLISTO is expected to make its first flight from French Guiana in 2026.
Experts emphasize that reusable rockets are democratizing access to space, paving the way for commercial satellite launches and scientific missions. The spread of the technology is also expected to offer a solution to the problem of space debris.
