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There is one private competitor that I know that has done launches like SpaceX. There are 3 more that have tested engines and the like and have imminent plans to start offering launch services in the next 12-24 months. But for the moment, SpaceX has the strongest private program I believe. In five years from now, there should be many private launch companies. However SpaceX and it’s rival Blue Origin have heavy lift rockets being developed. So they will have the contracts for the really big stuff.

Agreed. Contracts are being awarded because SpaceX is the strongest of the bunch and nobody else is close. Around 40 successful missions so far.

Far too many people who haven't been paying attention think SpaceX came out of nowhere and is somehow benefitting from these contracts for no reason. SpaceX got their first (privately-funded no less) rocket into orbit nearly 10 years ago.

SpaceX has privately done a lot of heavy-lifting (no pun intended) in getting to where it's at. People just don't realize how far ahead they are of the competition.

“SpaceX has privately done a lot of heavy-lifting (no pun intended) in getting to where it’s at. “

Oh please. Their leftist owner has gotten BILLIONS from government contracts. Calling anything they have done ‘private’ is a joke. The only thing they can claim all of is the PR. Only not even that, since the leftist media plays them up. Have they done cool stuff? Sure. But it wasn’t much more ‘private’ that the Apollo program.