Successful Completions Seen As Critical To Company's Future

SpaceX is facing a critical year in 2017, and the successful completion of several missions is being seen by some analysts as being critical to the company's future.

The company plans the first launch of a previously-flown booster this year, along with the long-anticipated first launch of a Falcon Heavy booster, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times. Later in the year, SpaceX hopes to fly its first manned space capsule on an unmanned mission.

But for revenue generation, the launch schedule is perhaps most important. The company could potentially ramp up to an ambitious schedule of one launch every two to three weeks, according to the report.

SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said in an interview with Reuters that the more aggressive launch schedule will come after renovations to Launch Complex 39A are completed later this year. The company as 70 missions on its manifest worth more than $10 billion in revenue. By comparison, SpaceX launched eight spacecraft last year before the launch pad accident on September 1 brought operations to a halt.

The first flight of Crew Dragon is still anticipated to come in November, with a manned test flight planned in May of 2018.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.spacex.com