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> Starship will require in-orbit refueling to go to the moon, so (rapid) reusability is somewhat of a hard requirement. Is it though? The lunar starship itself
by Denvercoder9 5y ago
> Starship will require in-orbit refueling to go to the moon, so (rapid) reusability is somewhat of a hard requirement.
Is it though? The lunar starship itself doesn't depend on reusability. If SpaceX cannot get reusability down, they'll have to expend a few boosters and tankers to get it working. That'll cost them their profit, but it would fulfil the contract.
- mlindner 5y agoIf they have to expend them, I doubt SpaceX would have any profit at all and they'd reneg on the contract.
- bryanlarsen 5y agoSecond stage tanker build costs are estimated at around $30M. Expending a dozen would thus cost $360M, about 15% of the contract. I highly doubt that SpaceX set their profit margin lower than 15%.
- GoOnThenDoTell 5y agoThry need to spend the R&D money anyway to get it working, why not let NASA subsidise it