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PSA: Starship's 3rd Integrated Test Flight tentatively scheduled for Pi Day March 14th

It's easy to love the engineering and excitement of space advances. Don't have to love the guy or the progressive privatization and abandonment of space exploration and development as a national adventure.

Too many of the big things that Americans have been able to be proud of in the past are now becoming the toys of the rich or the territory of corporations. And yet we taxpayers still pay for them.

I'm not at all saying there's no place for private enterprise in these ventures, but I feel like we've gone too far in various arenas and don't want to see the public lose control of this one.

The public should fund NASA more and encourage NASA leadership to stop awarding contracts to Boeing.

Their baby SLS is 10+ years in the making, has launched once, and it is basically all reused hardware from the shuttle era or from another existing rocket. Its price tag is over 1 billion per launch and no one wants to launch anything important on it because the vibration is awful. NASA itself moved the Europa Clipper from SLS to Falcon Heavy because they didn't want to deal with that*. The governments own report from a few weeks ago laughed at NASA for suggesting they offer flights for commercial payloads because no one showed interest. "would you like us to launch something for you for 1+ billion dollars and we'll shake the shit out of it too? Anyone?"

Then you have Boeing's Starliner which got more money for its development than SpaceX did for Crew Dragon and here we are 7+ years later and Crew Dragon has flow 6+ times and Starliner is yet to launch with crew once.

SpaceX is at least pushing the technology. Blue Origin is trying but hasn't done anything at the moment. ULA and Boeing have enjoyed a monopoly for 30+ years and decided to light dollar bills on fire instead of developing anything new. NASA was happy to oblige them.



*The total contract award amount for launch services is approximately $178 million, NASA said in a news release. This is a significant moment for SpaceX, as the company will be entrusted with one of NASA's highest-priority exploration missions. The deal also saves NASA about $2 billion.
 
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WTF are you people cheering this for?

This is a for profit hobby for a rich guy.

This is no source of national pride.

Musk isn't even American
This is the rocket that will be used to put American astronauts on the moon so it is important it works.

We are in a new space race with China and the stakes are high as we will be competing over actual resources, not just achievements.

The space race with China has begun. Is America ready? | Miami Herald https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article281848548.html
 
This is the rocket that will be used to put American astronauts on the moon so it is important it works.

We are in a new space race with China and the stakes are high as we will be competing over actual resources, not just achievements.

The space race with China has begun. Is America ready? | Miami Herald https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article281848548.html
I hope NASA has tight contracts with Musk. Because he's saying that he wants to use the rocket to put his massive internet satellites into space.
 
I used to be a SpaceX fan, even though my opinion on Musk had changed….but after I read that he cut starlink on Ukraine….makes me think we should not be relying on an eccentric billionaire for critical projects. We are putting our national security at his whim.

At least with companies like Boeing and General Dynamics they are American companies with a long dependable history.
 
I used to be a SpaceX fan, even though my opinion on Musk had changed….but after I read that he cut starlink on Ukraine….makes me think we should not be relying on an eccentric billionaire for critical projects. We are putting our national security at his whim.

At least with companies like Boeing and General Dynamics they are American companies with a long dependable history.
I agree with that. There needs to be more competition in the industry which gives the government options. Right now he owns an essential monopoly with Starlink after breaking one in the American launch industry. Bezos will eventually be able to compete there since he has enough money to throw at it.
 
I used to be a SpaceX fan, even though my opinion on Musk had changed….but after I read that he cut starlink on Ukraine….makes me think we should not be relying on an eccentric billionaire for critical projects. We are putting our national security at his whim.

At least with companies like Boeing and General Dynamics they are American companies with a long dependable history.
Would Musk sell his tech to China (or another nation) for the right price?

Probably. Why not?

Do his contracts with NASA prevent that?
 
IIRC anything rocket related is ITAR. Satellites are included, but commercial satellites are exempt under certain conditions.
 
Let's keep giving space x huge subsidies. Gobble gobble.

Ignorant AF.

“Nelson, a longtime friend and former Senate colleague of President Joe Biden’s, was tapped to lead NASA last year and has been a booster of public-private space exploration, especially with SpaceX. Citing a Defense Department official, Nelson told a Senate panel in May that SpaceX might have saved taxpayers as much as $40 billion in launch costs.“


 
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Ignorant AF.

“Nelson, a longtime friend and former Senate colleague of President Joe Biden’s, was tapped to lead NASA last year and has been a booster of public-private space exploration, especially with SpaceX. Citing a Defense Department official, Nelson told a Senate panel in May that SpaceX might have saved taxpayers as much as $40 billion in launch costs.“


I'm hoping for an even more spectacular explosion next time.
 
I'm hoping for an even more spectacular explosion next time.

I’m hoping for more ignorant BS spewed from your cùnt mouth so everyone can see how stupid you are.

Without SpaceX America would be depending on Russia to send American astronauts to space.

Any thoughts on that fact you stupid fùck?
 
I’m hoping for more ignorant BS spewed from your cùnt mouth so everyone can see how stupid you are.

Without SpaceX America would be depending on Russia to send American astronauts to space.

Any thoughts on that fact you stupid fùck?
Yes! Elunatic should go to Baikonur and suck more Russian dick. Oh wait, he already does that.
 
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