It also helps that this one didn’t explode immediately due to lazy fast-fail engineering, scattering billions of tax dollars across the landscape while a bunch of drunken tech dude-bros cheer.
NASA funding is dependent on public opinion (well it was until recently). Blowing up rockets gets people really upset when they think it’s their tax dollars.
Somehow SpaceX has convinced people it’s a private company and not funded by government contracts and taxes.
Blowing up rockets gets people really upset when they think it’s their tax dollars.
I love spaceflight and what the Artemis II accomplished, but it came with an absolutely staggering price tag. It cost a bit more than $50 Billion to design including both the rocket and the Orion capsule. It costs $1Billion each time it launches too. We only bought enough parts for 4 flights of the rocket, and we’ve now used 2 of those.
It also helps that this one didn’t explode immediately due to lazy fast-fail engineering, scattering billions of tax dollars across the landscape while a bunch of drunken tech dude-bros cheer.
Probably would’ve been cheaper, faster, and better engineered if they did though. The reason NASA doesn’t do it is PR.
NASA funding is dependent on public opinion (well it was until recently). Blowing up rockets gets people really upset when they think it’s their tax dollars.
Somehow SpaceX has convinced people it’s a private company and not funded by government contracts and taxes.
I love spaceflight and what the Artemis II accomplished, but it came with an absolutely staggering price tag. It cost a bit more than $50 Billion to design including both the rocket and the Orion capsule. It costs $1Billion each time it launches too. We only bought enough parts for 4 flights of the rocket, and we’ve now used 2 of those.
Because it’s not…? They get the contracts because they’re the cheapest option, and these days they make more money through Starlink anyways.
And who else should CRS have gone to? Lockheed Martin and Boeing?