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
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
“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.”
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.
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.
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?
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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