SpaceX is a significant company in the world record for the many rocket launches done in 2021, which beat that of the decade. The counted ones are the successful missions that came to orbit and went back safely, without any problems whatsoever.

However, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said that rocket launches to orbit should not measure the current generation for space missions. Instead, the billionaire suggests a new metric to use. 

SpaceX: Contributor to World Record of Rocket Launches to Orbit in 2021

SpaceX
(Photo : Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

According to a report by Ars Technica, SpaceX and the world have made a record of successful rocket launches that reached orbit, and in 2021, that record shattered. Different space companies came into play last year and showed their capabilities in bringing a vessel to outer space, providing different designs to rockets now. 

The significance of the world getting into the space race is massive, significantly as it could shift to being the next destination of the travel industry, among many other things.

NASA uses its cosmic facilities as laboratories to try out different studies and research approaches that prove to be beneficial to science. 

The innovations brought by the many rocket launches bring the world closer to a multi-planetary life, something that is the endgame of the world's top billionaire. 

Read Also: SpaceX's Starship Launch Is Among The Highly Anticipated Space Missions For 2022

Elon Musk Wants THIS new Metric to use for Rocket Launch Record

As much as the world celebrates this new milestone, a new metric proposed by Elon Musk should be the new ground to "measure" the significance of the space race. The new metric is "tonnage to orbit," It is the amount of cargo that a rocket can bring whenever venturing out onto its orbit mission. 

Musk firmly believes in this and has been pushing for its use in the past years. The CEO believes that this is the right metric to use and test out a rocket's capabilities, especially when handling heavy loads. 

SpaceX and its Significance in the Space Community

One of the many contributions of SpaceX in the industry is its goal to reach Mars and make life multi-planetary. However, it can only do this if the Starship proves successful for this year's testing. It is now focusing on its Raptor 2 engines that improved significantly since 2019 and its full stack of the Super Heavy Rocket and the stainless steel spacecraft.

The SpaceX CEO campaigned for tonnage to orbit the public before, saying these are the numbers that prove to be significant in the current space race. Instead of counting the rockets that arrive on the low-Earth orbit, space companies and enthusiasts should focus more on the amount they bring to the cosmos. 

SpaceX indeed made a lot of launches in 2021, and these were important ones as it brought astronauts from NASA via the Commercial Crew Program and many other missions. The private space company enjoys its fame, and this is a massive contributor to its streak of quality work as they can see their efforts appreciated by the public. 

Will tonnage to orbit play a significant role in 2022? That is up to the public to decide. 

Related Article: SpaceX's Starlink Ordered to Stop Booking Orders from Indian Consumers Due to License Issue

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Written by Isaiah Richard

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