Two reasons. First reason is that NASA has two programs, Commercial Cargo Missions and Commercial Crew Missions. Those two programs provided those companies with the initial money they need (But NASA didn't provide all the money, they use their own money also). But the most important reason is NASA transferred the technical know-hows to them. But let me re-iterate, the majority of the credit belong to those companies themselves. Their designs are new and unique. NASA provided the necessary foundation, but they took it to new height (if you consider scheduling and cost). NASA (and the old Space Companies) can build what they build, but there is no way we could do it in such short time and so little money.
Some of you guys seem pretty knowledgeable so help me out with the math. Say the Falcon Rocket is re-usable now that we can land it. Say that conservatively they would amortize the cost of it over 10 launches. Assume it costs some single digit millions to make a rocket ready for another launch(let's use $5M). Elon Musk has said the fuel cost is around $100K(?), at this point that's a rounding error in the total cost, so let's throw that out. I have read that the Falcon costs $60M, so $6M over 10 launches + $5M to ready it for another launch. So maybe the launch cost is now $10-15M? That seems really good, but is not the 10X I was hoping for. Does anyone have any thoughts on my back of the napkin math?
Can't believe I wasted time arguing with that moron in the Tesla thread. Just leave him alone is my advice.
I think he has issues or small dick syndrome related to aircraft related topics. He has been AWOL from the F-35 turd thread for a while after spewing his bs all over and being proven wrong.
Excuse our lack of patience with a bitter jerk that catalogs posts, disrupts threads, and rarely adds something of substance. Watch, he's furiously digging up old quotes or threads as we speak.
A 360 view of the landing. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KDK5TF2BOhQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
SpaceX does it again. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4jEz03Z8azc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WLE-ocDoXrs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> SpaceX faked the whole thing.
That's some pretty compelling evidence. I am going to have to really dig into this. They must have crashed those first few on purpose to help sell the con.
