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Not to give Bezos' team all the credit in the world (they're launching the rockets, not Bezos) but rockets are hard. It's literal rocket science =/

• manquer 5y ago
  Perhaps, while it is still a tough field, Nowadays there are plenty of successful companies in this space : rocket labs, astra , spaceX , virgin orbit have all launched payloads in the last 10 years then there are new players like Terran . It is still not easy , but as difficult as say 20 years back.
  • UnpossibleJim 5y ago
    Technology has progressed quite a bit in 20 years, of course. And, I don't know the answer, but with all of these companies joining in on the space race, did regulations lighten up or was it just the funding cuts to the space program that spurred this?
    • manquer 5y ago
      Regulations are still tight in many areas due to ITAR , the concerns to prevent basaltic missile tech from potentially being leaked to countries without it have not changed. To an extent NASA's Commercial Crew program and other commercial engagement vision worked in triggering commercial industry I think it more that technology has changing a lot making it less expensive to attempt building a vehicle. Today, for example Terran is considering building a lot of their rocket with 3D printing, Rocket Labs does that already for their rocket parts. Talent availability with the right skills has become easier in the recent years probably helps.