Professor Loizos Heracleous said: “This test hones our ability to re-use rockets, which drastically reduces the costs per launch and makes viable additional missions for a given level of investment. Second, it enables heavier payloads to be carried into space, a necessary capability if humanity is going to achieve manned missions to Mars and ultimately an inhabited base there, creating a species insurance policy against catastrophic events on earth. This has long been one of Elon Musk’s primary goals, and a reason for which SpaceX is privately controlled.

“SpaceX is forging ahead with investments and innovations that are essential for this path, but it is important to note that a lot of the scientific knowledge comes from the experience of the last few decades, from prior and current missions carried out by NASA. A lot of the financial inputs come from contracts with both NASA as well as other state and private sector clients. This partnership is essential to SpaceX’s efforts, as Musk has acknowledged several times.

“The space sector as a whole is changing. According to the most recent figures, out of $329 billion global spending on space, $253 billion (three quarters) is accounted for by commercial activities; the US government accounted for $44 billion for both civilian and defence space spending. Commercial involvement in space is growing in size and significance and will continue to do so. The partnership between commercial and state actors will be fundamental in enabling humanity to one day become an interplanetary species.”