▁replaced ▁by ▁commercial ▁launch ▁vehicles . ▁ ▁Sc aled ▁Compos ites ▁Space Sh ip One ▁was ▁a ▁re usable ▁sub orb ital ▁space plane ▁that ▁carried ▁pil ots ▁Mike ▁Mel v ill ▁and ▁Brian ▁B inn ie ▁on ▁consecutive ▁fl ights ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Ans ari ▁X ▁Prize . ▁The ▁Sp aces hip ▁Company ▁has ▁built ▁its ▁successor ▁Space Sh ip Two . ▁A ▁fleet ▁of ▁Space Sh ip Tw os ▁operated ▁by ▁Virgin ▁Gal actic ▁planned ▁to ▁begin ▁re usable ▁private ▁space fl ight ▁carrying ▁pay ing ▁passengers ▁( space ▁tour ists ) ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁delayed ▁due ▁to ▁an ▁accident ▁in ▁the ▁prop ulsion ▁development . ▁ ▁Space X ▁achieved ▁the ▁first ▁vertical ▁soft ▁landing ▁of ▁a ▁re - usable ▁orb ital ▁ro cket ▁stage ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁after ▁deliver ing ▁ 1 1 ▁Or b comm ▁O G - 2 ▁commercial ▁sat ell ites ▁into ▁low ▁Earth ▁orbit . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁Fal con ▁ 9 ▁second ▁flight ▁occurred ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁Space X ▁now ▁rout in ely ▁re co vers ▁and ▁re uses ▁their ▁first ▁stages , ▁with ▁the ▁intent ▁of ▁re using ▁fair ings ▁as ▁well . ▁ ▁Ch alleng es ▁ ▁Space ▁dis aster s ▁▁ ▁All ▁launch ▁vehicles ▁contain ▁a ▁huge ▁amount ▁of ▁energy ▁that ▁is ▁needed ▁for ▁some ▁part ▁of ▁it ▁to ▁reach ▁orbit .