Balex

u/Balex@lemmy.world
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I'm not too familiar with the politics behind all of this, especially around that time. My understanding is that it's mainly a difference in approach to development. NASA has to worry about appealing to politicians and the public. So they spend more time and money to make sure to get it right the first time.

SpaceX doesn't have that same kind of worry, so they can develop quickly and fly test vehicles often to learn quickly.

There's pros and cons to both sides imo, but that's why I think it makes more sense for NASA to use private launch providers while they focus more on the missions themselves.

NASA just realistically isn't a launch provider. SLS began development in 2011 and has only flown twice since 2022. It's has cost them almost $32 billion to develop. It even uses quite a bit of older hardware despite all the development costs.

Compare that to SpaceX's Starship. It started full development in 2019, has cost $15 billion to date, brand new everything, fully reusable, developed arguably the best engine ever made, has flown multiple times now (to varying degrees of success).

on tuff enuff · c/science_memes · 12 pts · 122d

Not sure if I misunderstood what you said, but it's not that they only use a few digits because it doesn't need to be that specific, they only use a few digits because that's all that is needed to be that specific.

He's ambitious for sure, but people were also saying landing boosters wasn't feasible and a waste of time. Now not only is it possible, but it's routine, and now it allows them to put up more mass than every other agency combined. I'm also curious to know who's catching boosters like Super Heavy.

The entire space industry is full of delays and over promises, that's not unique to SpaceX. What is unique to SpaceX is their approach to design which is to test cheap and often in order to develop a refined end result. I'm not sure why the payload part is relevant. Starship is still a prototype, so of course they're not using a payload.

SpaceX isn't publicly traded yet, so not sure why you're mentioning stocks. Also not sure what consequences you're expecting since it's a private company.

SpaceX isn't the first company to be making rockets. Who do you think has been making NASA's rockets? I'll give you a hint: it's not NASA.

And Elon started SpaceX way before me was the richest person in the world. You can hate Elon Musk. I'd even agree with your hate there. But to direct it at SpaceX and accuse them as just being a money-making-scheme for Elon is a little ridiculous.

It usually takes more than one thing to label somebody left or right.

And "it's just a meme" is how we ended up with a meme in office twice.