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Old 22nd January 2016 | 05:32
  #93 (permalink)  
riff_raff
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 600
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From: USA
Right, you are. But let's stick to the launch costs; not the launch price tag. The cost is very much a component of engineering and hence more interesting in Tech Log.
For commercial launches isn't the most important consideration the difference between the costs incurred by the business providing the launch and what the customer pays for the service? You cannot successfully operate a business that loses money on every transaction.

From what I have seen there is not enough difference in the technology or design of the current SpaceX Falcon 9 booster and other existing boosters to justify the claims of massive reductions in launch costs. The current expendable Falcon 9 uses fairly conventional materials and design. The only major difference seems to be that SpaceX employs a more efficient manufacturing process.

Can someone provide an explanation of why a launch on an expendable SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicle could be so much cheaper than other similar launchers?
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