Historical and Projected Launch Costs to LEO

The defining metric of the space age is dollars per kilogram to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). As this number drops, entirely new business models become feasible.

For decades, launch costs hovered around $20,000 to $30,000 per kilogram. This artificial floor was maintained by expendable launch vehicles and government cost-plus contracting.

The Reusability Revolution

The introduction of the Falcon 9 and its propulsive landing capability fundamentally altered the economics of spaceflight. First-stage reuse spread the capital cost of the vehicle over multiple flights, leaving propellant and refurbishment as the primary marginal costs.

If fully reusable super-heavy lift vehicles achieve their target metrics, the constraint on space architecture shifts from mass to volume and thermal management.