To keep Spacex from taking advantage of a monopolistic position and continuing to develop technologies to reliabely deliver even more for less, NASA had to keep paying Boeing's over the top costs to fail while doing business the old way, the NASA way, so SpaceX could have a gubmint funded over-priced rival.
It's the same logic that is going to produce the next generation of high tech gizzygotches to defeat Russia, you know, like overpriced landing piers that fall appart when ocean breezes start blowing and waves start rolling.
I don't think people fully realize how incompetent government breaucracies living in the "National Capitol Region" have become. They cannot do anything.
To keep Spacex from taking advantage of a monopolistic position and continuing to develop technologies to reliabely deliver even more for less, NASA had to keep paying Boeing’s over the top costs to fail while doing business the old way, the NASA way, so SpaceX could have a gubmint funded over-priced rival
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In that vein, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy lost a lucrative, high-profile, military contract to Blue Origin’s New Glenn, a rocket has never made it to orbit.
Falcon Heavy is the only rocket that can place very heavy satellites directly into geosynchronous orbits; not transfer to orbit (GTO).
One of the reasons is that Falcon Heavy does not have as big a fairing (container) for some of the satellites the military wants to launch. There is a faring in the works, but its not ready yet.
New Glenn has a very large fairing, sufficient for the needs of the military. Starship has an even bigger one, but Starship is so heavy it would need a refueling to reach geosynchronous orbit.
To TLI (trans lunar insertion) Direct to geosynchronous orbit would put 25% more weight into geosynchronous obit.
Falcon Heavy current faring: 5,400kg
Falcon Heavy future faring: 18,000kg
New Glenn Fairing: 8,500kg
Starship fairing: N/A because of refueling
Blue Origin’s New Glenn, when all is said and done, has a larger faring and is lighter, so it can put bigger and heavier satellites into geosynchronous orbit than the competition. If it ever flies.
“I don’t think people fully realize how incompetent government breaucracies living in the “National Capitol Region” have become. They cannot do anything.”
I have to hope the above is the case for the Zeepers, but I’d hate to think what it means if I’m wrong.
Sierra Nevada (now Sierra Space) had a better design than Boeing, but lost the bid for a manned capsule.
If only they couldn’t “do” anything. They most often do things that hurt this country. Bureaucrats suck!
What failing rocket ship company was Boeing forced to take over that is now the actual problem?