I feel like it is not common knowledge that SpaceX only exists because the government propped it up and stopped it from going bankrupt - ThreadSky

kimischilling.bsky.social • 10 days ago

I feel like it is not common knowledge that SpaceX only exists because the government propped it up and stopped it from going bankrupt

Reposted from Mike Masnick

See here's how to do a headline.

fortune.com/2025/02/13/e...

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bsf42069.bsky.social•10 days ago

Oversimplification. They didn’t “prop it up” NASA started the commercial orbital transport services (COTS) program after constellation was dismantled In order to try a new approach

bsf42069.bsky.social•10 days ago

They looked at a number of companies (Kessler and SpaceX initially. Kessler was unable to achieve their funding requirements and failed to maintain progress so was dropped. SpaceX and Orbital Sciences (now Northrop Grumman) won the eventual awards to develop separate launch vehicles and spacecraft

bsf42069.bsky.social•10 days ago

Both companies successfully developed their vehicles and went onto become part of the commercial resupply services (CRS 1&2) programs. To be 100% clear. This was NOT a bailout, subsidy or any such thing.

bsf42069.bsky.social•10 days ago

It was a program by NASA to both accelerate commercial capabilities in return for cheaper and more frequently available missions and in turn it gave these companies the boost they needed with the expectation they would return that investment to NASA. Which both did

bsf42069.bsky.social•10 days ago

Both companies have and continue to overperform on their missions flying more cargo than they were contracted (and paid) to fly and NASA themselves had their gamble come through with the COTS program being touted as a success and leading to future fixed cost contracts that we see nowadays

bsf42069.bsky.social•10 days ago

It has saved NASA billions over the years and by their own estimates cost 4x-10x less than it would have done to develop in house through traditional procurement methods

Both NASA and SpaceX won from COTS. Neither bailed out the other. Neither is better than the other

normcorerockwell.bsky.social•10 days ago

Also, any innovations SpaceX has made come from poaching talent from NASA and using the expertise developed on the government dime.

bsf42069.bsky.social•10 days ago

Not true

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