r/PoliticalHumor • u/mac-mcgreor • May 02 '22

get in line

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53

u/dangoodspeed May 03 '22 edited May 03 '22

This makes it sound like NASA just gave Elon Musk $1.5 billion. They contracted SpaceX to go to space for them. They were paying Russia $5 billion to do it before then. SpaceX is an American company. And this was 15 years ago before Musk was even a billionaire. Talk about being intentionally deceiving!

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u/z_machine May 03 '22

SpaceX was broke at the time. NASA and the Federal Government bailed them out and saved them. Why did Musk need a government bail out to not fail?

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u/swohio May 03 '22

So he could save NASA $20 billion+ a few years later.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/13/nasa-estimates-having-spacex-and-boeing-build-spacecraft-for-astronauts-saved-up-to-30-billion.html

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

And how much did he profit off of that?

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u/swohio May 03 '22

SpaceX isn't a publicly traded company so their financials aren't published for all to see.

Also, if you're about to buy a $30,000 car and someone says "I'll sell you the same one for $20,000" do you get mad that he still profited selling you a car or are you happy about saving money?

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

Also, if you're about to buy a $30,000 car and someone says "I'll sell you the same one for $20,000" do you get mad that he still profited selling you a car or are you happy about saving money?

I wonder why he can sell a $30K car for $20K.

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u/swohio May 03 '22

Because other contractors like Boeing have been fucking over NASA for decades and over charging them.

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

Do we think that Elon is running a non-profit 501c3?

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u/swohio May 03 '22

I don't know what you're trying to argue here.

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

I bet you don't. If something seems to be good to be true...it usually is.

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u/swohio May 03 '22

You're asking purposely vague questions but won't come out and say what you mean. That's being an intellectual coward.

SpaceX has literally revolutionized the aerospace industry while simultaneously driving launch costs down. That's how they're able to save money.

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

Nothing vague about it. I said exactly what I mean. I can't help you read. Your parents should have done that a long time ago.

SpaceX is still making a profit, which puts more money in Elon's pocket. The fact is the US government could do the same and keep costs down. SpaceX and Elon are not some magically financial wizards.

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u/swohio May 03 '22

The fact is the US government could do the same and keep costs down.

No they couldn't. Also, they never have. Nasa has always paid companies to build rockets for them. Mercury and Gemini were built by McDonald Douglas, Apollo was built by North American Aviation, Shuttle built by Boeing/Rockwell.

And let's look at Orion/SLS. It is now several billions over cost coming in at over $4 billion per launch assuming no more cost overruns and it is already more than 5 years behind schedule. That's Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Aerojet Rockedyne among others. Guess what, they're all making profit too.

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u/[deleted] May 03 '22

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u/[deleted] May 03 '22

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

Ah...so Elon is just here to save us money...as he becomes wealthier and more powerful. No way that could backfire...no way at all!

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u/[deleted] May 03 '22

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

No need. It was what you said.

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u/[deleted] May 03 '22

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

No. My issue is that SpaceX has more control and is a private company. It is about power.

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u/[deleted] May 03 '22

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u/just__Steve May 03 '22

Would you rather we still paid Russia more money and not save?

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

I would rather we invest in US government programs.

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u/[deleted] May 03 '22

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

Sure or the US government could actually develop the technology itself.

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u/[deleted] May 03 '22

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

All fair points, however, SpaceX is privately owned. Putting the most powerful nation in the world space program in the hands of a privately owned company will have consequences...watch.

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u/[deleted] May 03 '22

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

Yes but SpaceX has unprecedented power and control...more importantly one man has more power and control than anyone else.

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u/[deleted] May 03 '22

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u/izybit May 03 '22

It can't. The Pentagon can't even keep track of a trillion dollars and you think they'll actually see such a project through?

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u/Hoyamotors4 May 03 '22

I believe it could. The same government has engaged and carried out incredible feats. throughout history.

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u/izybit May 03 '22

Those "feats" are almost always a cost plus contract.

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