Elon Musk Latest News: SpaceX Recycled Space Rocket Reduces Launch Cost By 30%; Tesla Turns Touchscreen To Sketchpad

by Guenee Salugsugan / Mar 31, 2017 09:18 AM EDT

Elon Musk's SpaceX is set to launch today the company's first recycled rocket, with the goal of sending a communication satellite for the Luxembourg-based SES into a distant orbit. The launch, which is set at 6:27 pm from Cape Canaveral, Florida, will use a booster that sent food and supplies to the astronauts on the International Space Station since April.

Elon Musk Wants To Make Rocket Parts Become Reusable

The goal of the launch, according to Musk, is to make rocket parts reusable like planes, bicycles or cars. Based on reports, million dollars worth of rocket parts is just thrown away after every launch.

According to the SpaceX boss, reusing the hardware could reduce costs by around 30 percent, noting that every Falcon 9 launch costs more than $61 million. However, the process continues to raise concerns for the company and the customers, which include worries of failing, insurance implications and creating a critical mass of reused first stages in the warehouses.

Musk's Falcon 9 rocket, meantime, contains a column looking portion considered as the first stage that propelled the unmanned Dragon cargo ship to space a year ago, returning to an upright landing on an ocean platform, The Journal reported.

Elon Musk Includes New Feature In Tesla's Latest Software Update

Tesla's CEO announced via Twitter that car owners will be able to turn their Tesla vehicle's touchscreen into a sketchpad. Reports indicate that once the 8.1 software version is downloaded, the owners can try out the new feature that is enabled by double-clicking the "T" on the center screen of the vehicle.

Musk also shared that the touchscreen, which is usually where the whole infotainment, climate controls, and navigation are displayed, turns white. The owners can either choose a pen, an eraser or a marker, including a color wheel to make a drawing, in which the size could be set, Fortune reported. Watch Elon Musk's SpaceX Rocket Lands On Its Launch Pad here: