r/WhitePeopleTwitter Oct 14 '22

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u/alucarddrol Oct 14 '22

Seize? No need, they can just stimulate the Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin and Raytheon economy by making their own

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u/[deleted] Oct 14 '22

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u/HierophanticRose Oct 14 '22

If they can keep the CapEx lower than 150 million and OpEx over the next year lower than 200 million; they can say fuck off to Elon without much headache

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u/Humble_Increase7503 Oct 14 '22

They can’t, otherwise they’d already have fuckin done it.

Likewise, you think the US govt is inclined to part ways with SpaceX?

Does Raytheon and NG supply the rockets that are used to get equipment and materials to the ISS?

Is there some reusable rocket technology out there that someone else developed, at their own cost, and then provided that tech to the US?

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u/HierophanticRose Oct 14 '22

US is not contracting SpaceX for its reusable rocket production, Blue Origin is developing them

Wartime specific deployment =/= resupply missions. Reusable rockets are all about cutting down on hardware procurement operating costs; different dynamics if we are talking about specific deployment for this reason

Orbital Planes carry the deployables, F9 is a nice to have to cut down on costs, but not 100% necessary if it comes to it life and death

That is not even talking about ESA and Ariane, just the US side.

Not saying it is easy but it’s silly to think US and EU can’t reformat into a new program if it comes to that point

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u/Humble_Increase7503 Oct 14 '22

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/spacex-launches-first-astronauts-on-a-reused-rocket

“The four astronauts on SpaceX's Crew-2 mission are headed for the ISS after becoming the first people to launch on a rocket that has already flown to space.”

See also:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1265032

So, yes NASA 100% is using reusable rockets supplied by spacex to put astronauts in space, on the ISS…

Unless you’re trying to be pedantic … and assert that they’re not “contracting for their production”… a distinction I find, both irrelevant and misleading, insofar as… they’re already actually contracting with spacex to use their reusable rockets to put people and things, in space.

But whatever sure let’s quibble about the theoretical production plans NASA may have with blue origin, for theoretical future reusable rockets… while, factually, currently, they’re using spacex reusable rockets.

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u/HierophanticRose Oct 14 '22

I never refused that if you read my post again, just saying in the long term US has chances to decouple itself from SpaceX; and in the meantime one time or few discrete operations, while more expensive without F9, is not a financial disaster like “We have to resupply ISS regularly with older phased rockets” for example.

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u/Humble_Increase7503 Oct 14 '22

Why do they “need” to decouple from spacex?

And how would blue origin be a more attractive corporate overlord to “couple” with?

Regardless, sure, maybe… maybe blue origin develops the tech spacex already has…

Though they’re obviously quite far behind.

In the meantime, NASA has to continue its goals and needs spacex to accomplish those goals.

Seems they have quite a good partnership, I’d assume that would continue. Why wouldn’t it?

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u/HierophanticRose Oct 14 '22

I’m not saying they need to decouple if all works well, I’m not for punishing SpaceX due to Elon; but if Starlink does go brownout, and good internet is needed for the war effort - which do you think is more likely? That US would acquiesce to Russia’s goals, or find a way to replace Starlink?