From the perspective of a circular economy, extending the product lifecycle can largely be categorized into the 3Rs: Reuse, Repair, and Remanufacturing.

• Reuse and Repair refer to forms in which used products are consumed again by end-users, while Remanufacturing refers to a structured recovery process through which used products are restored to their original performance level.

• Remanufacturing involves processes such as non-destructive disassembly, cleaning and inspection, repair and adjustment, and reassembly to maintain original performance, making it an efficient method for conserving energy and resources.

SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk with the vision of sending humanity to Mars, is a leading innovator that has opened the commercial space era through cost reductions enabled by reusable (Reuse, Repair) launch vehicles.

• As reuse increased, repair costs dropped from USD 13 million in 2017 to USD 1 million in 2022—a 92% reduction. Launch costs as of 2022 were approximately USD 67 million, roughly one-fifth the cost of competitors such as Ariane rockets.

• The average reuse cycle of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 dropped from 356 days in 2017 to 27 days in 2021, and further to 21 days in 2022.

• In addition to reusing first-stage rockets, SpaceX actively recycles components

• rodynamic resistance, as well as the Cargo Dragon and Crew Dragon capsules that transport cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station.

Caterpillar, a global construction equipment manufacturer, has operated its Remanufacturing & Rebuild program since 1973.

• Through this program, the company reduces the production cost of its finished products and sells remanufactured parts. These parts are priced at 45–85% of new parts and cover approximately 8,000 types.

• Using remanufactured parts results in a 65–87% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to new parts.

Recent business trends emphasize environmental preservation and the efficient use of resources and energy as key factors of corporate competitiveness.

• As indiscriminate extraction and consumption of natural resources for industrial growth becomes outdated, the 3R approach (Reuse, Repair, Remanufacturing) is emerging as a new source of competitive advantage.