The problem is SpaceX has the best product around, and it’s not even close. Falcon 9 launches are so much cheaper than anything that ULA has offered that it’s not even funny. They weren’t even looking in to reusable boosters until SpaceX made it a standard practice in their system. For station cargo flights, Cygnus is an option, but it can’t bring anything back the way Cargo Dragon can. For manned missions, the only other option would be Boeing Starliner, and I don’t think anyone else is ready to call that operational.
Yes, SpaceX has a near monopoly at this point, but for once I don’t think it’s from any underhanded business practices, it’s just they were willing to innovate when the legacy space carriers were coasting along on government contracts. Once NASA, the DOD, the intelligence agencies deemed the Falcon as reliable, the only reasons ULA stayed in business was the government’s desire for a second launch provider for contingencies, and the occasion payload that was too big for Falcon.
For station cargo flights, Cygnus is an option, but it can’t bring anything back the way Cargo Dragon can.
Sierra Space’s Dreamchaser is another ISS cargo resupply option. The first one is already fully built and at Kennedy Space Center for launch this year. It doesn’t use a SpaceX rocket, and it also provides return cargo just like SpaceX Dragon does.
For manned missions, the only other option would be Boeing Starliner, and I don’t think anyone else is ready to call that operational.
Starliner isn’t the ONLY other option, but the other is REALLY EXPENSIVE. NASA’s Orion capsule is crew rated and could also dock at the ISS.
However the only current crew rated rocket to carry it right now would be the SLS rocket which is really built for deep space/lunar missions. Using it to fly to the ISS is very possible but would be VERY wasteful as far as money goes. So you’re mostly right, Starliner is the only other reasonable choice for crew flights to ISS for the USA.
That’s always been the tragedy for me personally. I absolutely loved the fuck out of SpaceX and what it was doing. It was the shining ray of hope for tech nerds like me hoping to work in a cool industry reminiscent of the 60s space race. And then Musk got on Twitter and got seriously weird and just never stopped.
Not likely to happen given they’re private (except Tesla), and he owns big stakes in them.
After all the attacks Tesla got early on, he decided to keep his companies private, and that’s what led to the funding secured tweet, trying to get away from it all.
Edit: SpaceX for example he has majority voting rights. You’d have to remove him using the law somehow or have it be voluntary.
The problem is SpaceX has the best product around, and it’s not even close. Falcon 9 launches are so much cheaper than anything that ULA has offered that it’s not even funny. They weren’t even looking in to reusable boosters until SpaceX made it a standard practice in their system. For station cargo flights, Cygnus is an option, but it can’t bring anything back the way Cargo Dragon can. For manned missions, the only other option would be Boeing Starliner, and I don’t think anyone else is ready to call that operational.
Yes, SpaceX has a near monopoly at this point, but for once I don’t think it’s from any underhanded business practices, it’s just they were willing to innovate when the legacy space carriers were coasting along on government contracts. Once NASA, the DOD, the intelligence agencies deemed the Falcon as reliable, the only reasons ULA stayed in business was the government’s desire for a second launch provider for contingencies, and the occasion payload that was too big for Falcon.
Sierra Space’s Dreamchaser is another ISS cargo resupply option. The first one is already fully built and at Kennedy Space Center for launch this year. It doesn’t use a SpaceX rocket, and it also provides return cargo just like SpaceX Dragon does.
Starliner isn’t the ONLY other option, but the other is REALLY EXPENSIVE. NASA’s Orion capsule is crew rated and could also dock at the ISS.
However the only current crew rated rocket to carry it right now would be the SLS rocket which is really built for deep space/lunar missions. Using it to fly to the ISS is very possible but would be VERY wasteful as far as money goes. So you’re mostly right, Starliner is the only other reasonable choice for crew flights to ISS for the USA.
That’s always been the tragedy for me personally. I absolutely loved the fuck out of SpaceX and what it was doing. It was the shining ray of hope for tech nerds like me hoping to work in a cool industry reminiscent of the 60s space race. And then Musk got on Twitter and got seriously weird and just never stopped.
All Musk’s companies need to ditch Musk. He’s doing them no good.
Not likely to happen given they’re private (except Tesla), and he owns big stakes in them.
After all the attacks Tesla got early on, he decided to keep his companies private, and that’s what led to the funding secured tweet, trying to get away from it all.
Edit: SpaceX for example he has majority voting rights. You’d have to remove him using the law somehow or have it be voluntary.