Comments on: SEC documents have revealed that the total development costs for Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket have increased to $472 million, $184 million more than what NASA is paying them.

By: Robert Clark

Robert Clark — Fri, 31 May 2013 12:44:31 +0000

Shows any industrialized country can have their own independent space program, no consortiums such as ESA required. This was for only $288 million paid for by the government (NASA) and only $184 million paid for by the company. AND it included both a 5 metric ton class launcher and a pressurized capsule in the Cygnus.
SpaceX and now Orbital Sciences have shown up to 90%(!) of the development cost for space systems, both for launchers and spacecraft, can be cut by following a commercial approach. For this reason, commercial space will become the predominate means of producing new launchers/spacecraft going forward.

Bob Clark

By: Kelly Starks

Kelly Starks — Sun, 06 May 2012 00:27:37 +0000

After all – Orbitals been around building boosters for 30+ years or so. So they have been building for various commercial and/or governmental markets for a long time. Its not like themarkets forcastto get much better soon.

By: Kelly Starks

Kelly Starks — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:51:44 +0000

>.. see a commercial value for the rocket that will exceed these costs…

Or they expect more gov kickbacks like before when none of the COTS vendors could raise the capital they needed.

By: wodun

wodun — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:05:50 +0000

Less than what SpaceX has spent on development but SpaceX also includes the costs of dragon. Would be nice to know their costs for Cygnus as well. Hope their Frankenstien rocket has great success.