• @NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    710 months ago

    You do realize these “commercial companies” such as SpaceX are funded by government contracts right? You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know. And you’re also not going to change my opinion. Space isn’t meant to be the next capitalist playground, which is what we are trying to do.

    • threelonmusketeers
      link
      fedilink
      English
      610 months ago

      You do realize these “commercial companies” such as SpaceX are funded by government contracts right?

      Yes, but it will be cheaper for NASA to outsource cargo and crew transport than if they did everything themselves. Just look at the success of the NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services and Commercial Crew programs. Cygnus, Dragon, and Falcon 9 are way cheaper than Orion and Ares I would have been for low earth orbit.

      This leaves NASA with more resources to devote towards interesting science and exploration missions. I don’t see why lunar exploration would be any different.

      • Yes, but it will be cheaper for NASA to outsource cargo and crew transport than if they did everything themselves.

        That is absolutely wrong. Commercialization in the space sector is - without exception - ALWAYS more expensive in the long run. Not only do you have inefficient company structures much like the public sector administration, you now also have to finance the insane profit margins of some egomaniacs like the little rat that runs shitter these days.

      • Tar_Alcaran
        link
        fedilink
        410 months ago

        This argument gets made a lot when talking about privatisation. Lots basic and essential services have gotten privatised over we decades, and none of them got better or cheaper.

        The only way you can benefit from privatizing something is when you make others pay for it. In this case, SpaceX is burning other people’s venture capital like rocketfuel. I prefer that over spending public money, but unfortunately, they’ve also spent 1.9billion on a moon lander, with nothing to show.

        • threelonmusketeers
          link
          fedilink
          English
          110 months ago

          Lots basic and essential services have gotten privatised over we decades, and none of them got better or cheaper.

          This seems like a rather broad statement. Are there really zero cases where a privatized service got cheaper? Do you disagree with the example of NASA’s CRS and CCP programs in my previous comment?

          but unfortunately, they’ve also spent 1.9billion on a moon lander, with nothing to show

          I think stating that they have nothing to show is slightly disingenuous. They’ve done multiple successful suborbital hops with upper stage prototypes, and two (partially successful) launches of the full stack. I’m eagerly awaiting IFT-3, which could happen as early as March.

    • @bassomitron@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      310 months ago

      Space is unfathomably enormous. I’d much rather have heavy industry fucking up shit in space than destroying our planet to strip it of its resources. I say let them go up there for asteroid/moon/whatever mining.

        • @bassomitron@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          2
          edit-2
          10 months ago

          I didn’t say anything about LEO, as last I checked there isn’t much heavy industry that would be appealing to do in that area. Asteroid or moon mining and production would be outside of LEO. But yes, too much space garbage in LEO is a bad thing that should definitely be avoided as much as possible.

          I just think taking a strict anti-commercial stance in space is a bit naive and unreasonable. Like I said, it’s enormous, who gives a shit what Blue Origin or SpaceX or whoever ends up doing in the asteroid belt a hundred years from now?

          • @NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            010 months ago

            Did you miss the part where I said I work in the space industry, I have 10 years of engineering experience, and I’ve been out of school a long damn time. Don’t insult my intelligence. I’m not a child, and I’m certainly not naive. Go spout off your uninformed opinions elsewhere. I’m in a bad mood today, haven’t been sleeping well, and I really don’t feel like explaining basic shit to you just so you understand my point of view.

        • Richard
          link
          fedilink
          English
          -110 months ago

          Luckily, the moon is in Low Earth Orbit! It’s good to have you on out side, comrade

    • @ikka@lemmy.sdf.org
      link
      fedilink
      210 months ago

      Space isn’t meant to be the next capitalist playground, which is what we are trying to do.

      Regardless of what it’s “meant” to be it will be the final capitalist playground.