space x funding

[onethatcares]

why are we taxpayers paying 400=600 million in order to allow the privatization of the space industry and why doesn't spacex have to pay to use the Cape Canaveral launch sites?

As a government agency, NASA has already developed orbital and re entry vehicles to service and supply the ISS and here we are paying for a private companys screw ups.

Is there an upside to this?

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Because the private sector won't cost taxpayer money.

Duh!

[Starry Messenger]

2. So when SpaceX goes IPO, the 1% can cash in.

I hope Elon doesn't get bored playing spaceman anytime soon. I have grave misgivings about the space program being privatized. At least we still kind of have one, I guess.

[Brickbat]

3. Not paying to use Cape Canaveral is part of the efficiency that privatization brings.

[Starry Messenger]

4. None of those pesky unions either.

[onethatcares]

5. so it's a win/win for all of us,

hoe ray for the u. s. of a.

[backscatter712]

6. Cheaper access to space, reinvigorated competition to get into space.

Maybe I'm the only person who actually likes SpaceX here.

Let's face it. The Shuttle cost well over one billion dollars per launch, it was maintenance-intensive, it was dangerous. It accomplished great things, but it's time to move on.

The government alternatives like the SLS promise to fare little better - they're using the old methods that have the government contractors feeding at the trough and flushing money down the toilet.

But I'm quite impressed with what SpaceX has accomplished. They've built the Falcon 1 and the Falcon 9, they built the Dragon, they've done it for a fraction of what other launch systems cost.

[onethatcares]

7. but they have done little except

fail to launch successfully.

Meanwhile the Chinese are kicking our asses along with the Russians when it comes to continuing government sponsored space exploration.

I believe it is the Chinese that have already figured to have the first station on the moon and to use it to exploit

whatever resourses are there.

Hell, we're going backwards here.

[backscatter712]

8. They've already launched the Falcon 9 twice, the Dragon once.

And the only thing that kept them from another launch is a minor engine glitch. They'll try again on Tuesday.

They've made a huge amount of progress, for pennies on the dollar when compared to the Shuttle.