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But SpaceX is a private company. Sure, we can argue the environment of America produces more such companies than anywhere else but at the end of the day it's a

But SpaceX is a private company. Sure, we can argue the environment of America produces more such companies than anywhere else but at the end of the day it's a man with billions of dollars dragging a country to space. It makes no sense that the government equivalent is NASA and each launch is expensive and slow. The US govt is seeking contracts with a private entity because NASA simply does not have the ability to go to space quick and cheaply.

ben_w 3y ago
NASA isn't the government equivalent of SpaceX, NASA just commissions launch vehicles from the private sector and does the missions that use those launch vehicles. Space Shuttle? United Space Alliance, Thiokol/Alliant Techsystems (for the SRBs), Lockheed Martin/Martin Marietta (for the external tank), Boeing/Rockwell (for the orbiter). Apollo? Boeing (first stage), North American Aviation (second stage), Douglas (third stage), North American Rockwell (CSM), Grumman (LM). IIRC, NASA have never made their own complete launch vehicle in-house.
jfengel 3y ago
Governments send people to space more as a matter of national pride than serious technological or human progress. That was why we stopped moon landings after Apollo, and the Shuttle was hamstrung. And it's why the Chinese have put on only token efforts. If it's finally profitable to do space, it's up to a private company to do it. NASA's version is just more flag waving. The best it can hope for is to be a jobs program for technologists. Which is awesome and undoubtedly has benefits, but it's no surprise that it isn't profitable or gutsy.
- bigbillheck 3y ago
  > And it's why the Chinese have put on only token efforts. China's got two rovers up there, returned 1.7kg of moon rocks in 2020, has another sample return scheduled this year, and another rover in 2026.
kibwen 3y ago
> at the end of the day it's a man with billions of dollars dragging a country to space. SpaceX was originally funded, and still is funded, by tens of billions of dollars worth of NASA contracts. It's not a billionaire dragging the country to space, it's the people of the country paying for a service.
- inemesitaffia 3y ago
  It's not hard to find out this isn't true. Wikipedia might help

ben_w 3y ago

NASA isn't the government equivalent of SpaceX, NASA just commissions launch vehicles from the private sector and does the missions that use those launch vehicles. Space Shuttle? United Space Alliance, Thiokol/Alliant Techsystems (for the SRBs), Lockheed Martin/Martin Marietta (for the external tank), Boeing/Rockwell (for the orbiter). Apollo? Boeing (first stage), North American Aviation (second stage), Douglas (third stage), North American Rockwell (CSM), Grumman (LM). IIRC, NASA have never made their own complete launch vehicle in-house.

jfengel 3y ago

Governments send people to space more as a matter of national pride than serious technological or human progress. That was why we stopped moon landings after Apollo, and the Shuttle was hamstrung. And it's why the Chinese have put on only token efforts. If it's finally profitable to do space, it's up to a private company to do it. NASA's version is just more flag waving. The best it can hope for is to be a jobs program for technologists. Which is awesome and undoubtedly has benefits, but it's no surprise that it isn't profitable or gutsy.

bigbillheck 3y ago
> And it's why the Chinese have put on only token efforts. China's got two rovers up there, returned 1.7kg of moon rocks in 2020, has another sample return scheduled this year, and another rover in 2026.

kibwen 3y ago

> at the end of the day it's a man with billions of dollars dragging a country to space. SpaceX was originally funded, and still is funded, by tens of billions of dollars worth of NASA contracts. It's not a billionaire dragging the country to space, it's the people of the country paying for a service.

inemesitaffia 3y ago
It's not hard to find out this isn't true. Wikipedia might help