{"id":14069,"date":"2017-03-16T09:27:30","date_gmt":"2017-03-16T13:27:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=14069"},"modified":"2017-03-16T09:27:30","modified_gmt":"2017-03-16T13:27:30","slug":"capitalism-in-space-nasas-big-costly-rocket-vs-commercial-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=14069","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Capitalism in Space&#8221; &#8211; NASA&#8217;s big costly rocket vs commercial alternatives"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Author and journalist\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnas.org\/people\/robert-zimmerman\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/www.cnas.org\/people\/robert-zimmerman\">Bob Zimmerman<\/a>\u00a0points me to a report, sponsored by the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnas.org\/\" target=\"_d\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/www.cnas.org\/\">Center for a New American Security<\/a>\u00a0(<span class=\"scayt-misspell-word\" data-scayt-word=\"CNAS\" data-scayt-lang=\"en_US\">CNAS<\/span>), in which he examines\u00a0the current state of development of space transportation by\u00a0NASA and by the private sector. He focuses in particular on a comparison between NASA&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Space_Launch_System\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Space_Launch_System\">Space Launch System<\/a> (SLS) rocket and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Orion_(spacecraft)\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Orion_(spacecraft)\">Orion crew spacecraft<\/a>\u00a0programs versus the commercial vehicles developed in partnership with NASA\u00a0via the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_Orbital_Transportation_Services\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_Orbital_Transportation_Services\">Commercial Cargo<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_Crew_Development\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_Crew_Development\">Crew<\/a> programs.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnas.org\/publications\/reports\/capitalism-in-space\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/www.cnas.org\/publications\/reports\/capitalism-in-space\">Capitalism in Space | <span class=\"scayt-misspell-word\" data-scayt-word=\"CNAS\" data-scayt-lang=\"en_US\">CNAS<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/behindtheblack.com\/behind-the-black\/essays-and-commentaries\/capitalism-in-space-private-enterprise-and-competition-reshape-the-global-aerospace-launch-industry\/\" data-cke-saved-href=\"http:\/\/behindtheblack.com\/behind-the-black\/essays-and-commentaries\/capitalism-in-space-private-enterprise-and-competition-reshape-the-global-aerospace-launch-industry\/\">Capitalism in Space: Private Enterprise and Competition Reshape the Global Aerospace Launch Industry | Behind The Black<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/files.cnas.org\/documents\/CNAS-Report-CapitalismInSpace-Final.pdf\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/files.cnas.org\/documents\/CNAS-Report-CapitalismInSpace-Final.pdf\"><span class=\"scayt-misspell-word\" data-scayt-word=\"CNAS\" data-scayt-lang=\"en_US\">CNAS<\/span> Report Capitalism In Space (pdf)<\/a>\u00a0&#8211; Full report with several tables summarizing costs for SLS, Orion, NASA commercial cargo and crew programs, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Bob talked about the report with John Batchelor this week:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Audioboom player\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" width=\"100%\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/embeds.audioboom.com\/posts\/5705045-capitalism-in-space-bob-zimmerman-behindtheblack-com-cnasdc\/embed\/v4#?secret=kHNJED2yAV\" data-secret=\"kHNJED2yAV\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>As this\u00a0table from Bob&#8217;s report illustrates, the cost of development of the SLS\/Orion is enormous:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnas.org\/publications\/reports\/capitalism-in-space\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14070\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?attachment_id=14070\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/CapitalisminSpaceTable51.png\" data-orig-size=\"696,194\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Capitalism in Space Table 5\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/CapitalisminSpaceTable51.png\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14070\" src=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/CapitalisminSpaceTable51.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"145\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/CapitalisminSpaceTable51.png 696w, https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/CapitalisminSpaceTable51-300x84.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, an operational SLS\/Orion will only launch once every year or two. So with an annual budget of $2B or more, that means each launch will cost at least\u00a0$2B, not counting the above development costs. (Often NASA officials will quote something in the range of\u00a0$500M per launch but this is a mythical &#8220;marginal&#8221; cost number that includes only what was paid for fuel, metals, etc. for one rocket, not the full expense required to make the launch happen.)<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.spacex.com\" target=\"_blank\">SpaceX<\/a>\u00a0has already pushed launch costs 2-3 times lower for NASA and commercial satellite customers compared to a few years ago. And SpaceX,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/blueorigin.com\" target=\"_blank\">Blue Origin<\/a> and others are developing reusable launch systems and spacecraft that will\u00a0\u00a0dramatically\u00a0lower\u00a0the cost of getting to space below today&#8217;s prices.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DTdFzCSLjGM?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The SLS rocket was\u00a0forced on NASA by Congress (or more accurately by the space policy and budget committees dominated by Senators and Representatives of states and districts with NASA centers and major contractors), which actually dictated most\u00a0of the design of the all-throwaway rocket.<\/p>\n<p>The money saved by dropping SLS\/Orion and instead flying on competitively sourced commercial space transport services could be redirected by NASA to develop crucially needed space technologies such as in-space tugs, propellant depots, lunar and asteroid mining and manufacturing systems, rotating habitats to provide spin-gravity, etc. These technologies are required to make travel beyond earth affordable and space settlement feasible.<\/p>\n<p>For more about the SLS\/Orion boondoggle, see<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bakerinstitute.org\/media\/files\/files\/9aabc453\/BI-Brief-2016-Rec_Abbey.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Why NASA Should Change Its Present Course<\/em>\u00a0&#8211; George W.S. Abbey, Senior Fellow in Space Policy &#8211; Baker Institute of Public Policy\/Rice University (pdf)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thenewatlantis.com\/publications\/getting-over-apolloism\" target=\"_d\">Getting Over \u2018Apolloism\u2019 &#8211; \u00a0Rand Simberg\/The New Atlantis<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/The-Plundering-NASA-R-D-Boozer\/dp\/1300939060\/ref=tmm_pap_title_0\" target=\"_d\">The Plundering of NASA: an Expos\u00e9<\/a>\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/astromaven.blogspot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">R.D. Boozer<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here is a video preview of Blue Origin&#8217;s New Glenn, which will start flying in 2020 (a factory to build the New Glenn is <a href=\"http:\/\/spaceksc.blogspot.com\/2017\/03\/blues-origin-part-6.html\" target=\"_blank\">under construction<\/a> on Cape Canaveral):<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BTEhohh6eYk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>And here is a NASA video from an interview with Dan Rasky, who worked as a Senior Scientist for NASA on the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_Orbital_Transportation_Services\" target=\"_blank\">Commercial Orbital Transportation Systems<\/a> (COTS) program, talking about how SpaceX built the Falcon 9 for a factor of 10 less than the NASA\/USAF procurement cost model said it should cost (and the model usually underestimates aerospace project cost):<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xYpvvq0fqwE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Author and journalist\u00a0Bob Zimmerman\u00a0points me to a report, sponsored by the\u00a0Center for a New American Security\u00a0(CNAS), in which he examines\u00a0the current state of development of space transportation by\u00a0NASA and by the private sector. He focuses in particular on a comparison between NASA&#8217;s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion crew spacecraft\u00a0programs versus the commercial vehicles &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=14069\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">&#8220;Capitalism in Space&#8221; &#8211; NASA&#8217;s big costly rocket vs commercial alternatives<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-rockets","category-space-policy"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p34aWK-3EV","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":18399,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=18399","url_meta":{"origin":14069,"position":0},"title":"Space policy roundup &#8211; April.4.2019","author":"TopSpacer","date":"April 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"WorldA sampling of links to recent space policy, politics, and government (US and international) related space news and resource items that I found of interest: NASA's Moon plans: NASA chief says a Falcon Heavy rocket could fly humans to the Moon | Ars Technica SpaceX's Falcon Heavy: \"It could help\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Activism&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Activism","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=hobbyspace&l=am2&o=1&a=1610398297","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":23164,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=23164","url_meta":{"origin":14069,"position":1},"title":"Videos: &#8220;Space to Ground&#8221; + Other ISS reports &#8211; Nov.20.2020","author":"TopSpacer","date":"November 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is the latest episode in NASA's Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station: https:\/\/youtu.be\/HXs-OtvIyxw ** SpaceX's CRS-21 Mission to the Space Station: What's On Board -\u00a0NASA The 21st SpaceX cargo resupply mission that will launch from NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida carries\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;In Space Infrastructure&quot;","block_context":{"text":"In Space Infrastructure","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=15"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/bigelow-xbase-_20160808-001-300x232.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11419,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=11419","url_meta":{"origin":14069,"position":2},"title":"Video: TMRO.tv 8.27 &#8211; Space Launch System Past and Future","author":"TopSpacer","date":"September 21, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The latest TMRO.tv live program focused on\u00a0NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), \"where it came from and where it could be going\":\u00a0Space Launch System Past and Future - TMRO https:\/\/youtu.be\/nxO2FpfYC-c For some background info to the SLS: Revisiting SLS\/Orion launch costs - John Strickland\/The Space Review Congress and NASA: Commercial Crew\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Rockets&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Rockets","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/nxO2FpfYC-c\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5276,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=5276","url_meta":{"origin":14069,"position":3},"title":"Space policy roundup &#8211; Nov.13.13 [Updated]","author":"TopSpacer","date":"November 14, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The incoherence of NASA policy is on full display this week. On Tuesday morning and apparently on an distant planet, NASA and reps of \u00a0its biggest contractors held a choir meeting to sing the praises of the $3B per year SLS\/Orion program*:\u00a0Contractors Pitch SLS as Everybody\u2019s Rocket - SpaceNews.com. On\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Space Policy&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Space Policy","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19929,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=19929","url_meta":{"origin":14069,"position":4},"title":"Space policy roundup &#8211; Oct.14.2019","author":"TopSpacer","date":"October 14, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"A sampling of links to recent space policy, politics, and government (US and international) related space news and resource items that I found of interest (find previous space policy roundups here): Schedule: What\u2019s Happening in Space Policy October 13-19, 2019 \u2013 SpacePolicyOnline.com Commercial crew program: NASA's Bridenstine: SpaceX and Boeing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Activism&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Activism","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/bigelow-xbase-_20160808-001-300x232.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6437,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=6437","url_meta":{"origin":14069,"position":5},"title":"Space policy roundup &#8211; Feb.11.14","author":"TopSpacer","date":"February 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Rick Boozer\u00a0points to Elon Musk's recent comments about eventually building a giant rocket for Mars transportation to highlight again the absurdity of the enormously expensive and pointless SLS\/Orion program :\u00a0Will SpaceX Super Rocket Kill NASA's 'Rocket to Nowhere'? \u00a0- Space.com. Rick also had this earlier op-ed by Rick at Space.com:\u00a0\u00a0It's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Space Policy&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Space Policy","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14069"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14076,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14069\/revisions\/14076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}