SpaceX’s launch of a used rocket could be the next step to the colonization of Mars.

SpaceX launched a partially used rocket into space on Thursday, April 2, opening the door to a new era of cheaper and more efficient space travel.

SpaceX, also known as Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, is an American aerospace designer, manufacturer, and launcher headquartered in Hawthorne, California.

Founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, the company has since made a name for itself by searching for ways to economize space travel. Musk’s ultimate goal is the colonization of Mars, which he has come one step closer to doing following Thursday’s launch.

A Falcon 9 rocket embarked on a journey into space after lifting off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying a telecommunications satellite released into proper orbit to service Latin America.

The booster of the rocket had already been previously used and could be re-used again in the future, as it returned back in one piece.

Following the discontinuation of the 40-year NASA Space Shuttle program in 2011, the future of the role of the United States in space travel has been up in the air. The program was disassembled due to heightened concerns over the immense costs accrued by launching new rockets and shuttles.

This newest development by SpaceX in space technology could be the solution to the problems that caused the NASA Space Shuttle program shut-down, giving scientists and the general public a glimpse into the future of space travel: low-cost and efficient.