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"Tesla only exists through government largesse, specifically carbon tax credits." This assumes no subsidies for oil and gas (plenty, including depreciation bel
by tempnow987 2y ago
"Tesla only exists through government largesse, specifically carbon tax credits."
This assumes no subsidies for oil and gas (plenty, including depreciation below cost basis!)
In terms of credits - those are in the 2%-3% range of revenue.
In terms of SpaceX being the most dependent on the govt - totally false. Things like SLS are cost plus, have cost $20 billion with almost nothing to show for it. SpaceX is so available, cheap and reliable they are literally launching ESA payloads (ESA won't even mention them its so embarrassing), most commercial payloads that can actually go to bid and competitors payloads (looking at you Amazon).
- nooron 2y agoUS government contracts account for 70%+ of SpaceX’s revenues through 2018. Can’t speculate about since. I like SpaceX but it’s just untrue that they weren’t highly dependent on US gov’t contracts for a long time (which itself is the product of space market liberalization by Obama in 2010).
- timschmidt 2y agoSeems like SpaceX was also the lowest cost provider of launch services during that entire time period. Can't blame the government for shopping around.
- nooron 2y agoI don't. I think it's great.
- tempnow987 2y agoSo the government does fund space companies - including slush amounts for things like "launch availability" and launch readiness / quick launch capabilities which are ways to try to keep the reported per launch costs down. For both National Security and other missions SpaceX is FAR cheaper. I'm not sure if that still counts as government "largesse" - which is more about a generous gift or contract. To keep more than one provider in mix the government has been doing some largesse to try to get some money to other providers.