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Alternatively, technology has advanced to the point where this kind of work is doable by the private sector. Drastically more wealth concentration has existed
by anonporridge 4y ago
Alternatively, technology has advanced to the point where this kind of work is doable by the private sector.
Drastically more wealth concentration has existed in humanity's past, but they weren't building reusable rockets because of it.
Also, SpaceX in particular was founded and started advancing this technology well before Musk at least was anywhere close to such extreme wealth. You might be putting the cart before the horse.
- adastra22 4y agoI would say that the satellite market has developed sufficiently that such efforts can be supported on a purely commercial basis. Yes SpaceX has major cash cow contracts with NASA and the DoD, but that was always the case with ULA too. What has changed is the huge market for commercial launches which SpaceX can service, and every reduced cost is profit for them. (Opposed to government contracts which were traditionally cost-plus, meaning the cost reduction would actually decrease profits.)
- avmich 4y agoMarket for commercial launches existed since early 1990-s. Cubesats were invented at about the same time as SpaceX was incorporated. SpaceX definitely used a lot of existing opportunities.
- adastra22 4y agoNot on the scale we see today, with massive orbital commercial constellations and special-purpose micro satellites.
- DennisP 4y agoIn fact, it's hard to imagine how, in American society, a person could build a hugely successful new car company from scratch and revolutionize the launch industry, without becoming extremely rich in the process.
- sixothree 4y ago> technology has advanced to the point where this kind of work is doable by the private sector Who exactly do you think built the Saturn V?