Clark Lindsey posted today this interesting cost comparison between the Falcon 9 and the Russian-built Proton rocket.
The cost of launch: Clark Lindsey posted today this interesting cost comparison between the Falcon 9 and the Russian-built Proton rocket.
The essence is this: The Proton rocket costs twice as much as the Falcon 9. If SpaceX can make a profit charging these low numbers, the launch industry is going to see a major shake out in the coming years.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
The cost of launch: Clark Lindsey posted today this interesting cost comparison between the Falcon 9 and the Russian-built Proton rocket.
The essence is this: The Proton rocket costs twice as much as the Falcon 9. If SpaceX can make a profit charging these low numbers, the launch industry is going to see a major shake out in the coming years.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Note SpaceX’s numbers contradict. They say price per F-9 launch is $54M (Paid in full standard launch prices for 2012). But also note the cost to NASA for 12 flights to the ISS will be $1.6 billion, or $83m. NASA/Congresses numbers come out to more like $300+M for each SpaceX COTS flight to the ISS, when they ad the rest of the costs in beyond the straight “launch fees”. (about 25%-30% of shuttle program cost per flight, but only carrying 1/4th the cargo adn no personel) Other customers have similarly reported unimpressive bids from SpaceX.
It’s called free enterprise. SpaceX is not required to advertise their prices. Negotiation is part of it. Until the current bottleneck is overcome (with new launch facilities not completely controlled by the govt.) negotiating the best price is going to have to deal with availability.
If you can only launch one rocket; Do you take the $54m offer or the $83m offer? What happens to negotiations when you can launch both?
> It’s called free enterprise. SpaceX is not required to advertise their prices…
They do when the gov is their biggest customer.
>.. Do you take the $54m offer or the $83m offer?
Generaly the customers are taking the other guys launchers. Suggesting (as reported by customers) that the total costs from SpaceX arn’t really cheaper, or Spacex’s high accident rates scares them off. (When risk a billion dollar sat, and delays in getting it online maling money) for a mear $20M?