What capability of the Falcon 9 first stage is the clearest example of SpaceX's rapid iteration success?
Answer
The routine landing and refurbishment of the first stages for reuse.
The successful implementation of reusability, specifically involving the landing and subsequent refurbishment of the Falcon 9 first stages, serves as the most visible demonstration of SpaceX's successful, fast-paced development methodology. This capability, once considered merely aspirational for orbital launch vehicles, has become routine practice. The direct result of this routine reuse is a significant lowering of the variable cost required to send hardware into orbit, as the most expensive component of the rocket structure is recovered rather than discarded after a single use.
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