Launch costs have fallen 95% 📉 (with another massive reduction expected in the coming years) thanks to reuse, improved engineering, and increased volumes.
“In economics, we assume that resources are limited; land is limited; natural resources are limited. With #space 🌌, it allows us to change that.” https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/may/03/were-in-a-new-era-the-21st-century-space-race-takes-off
📊 The #US 🇺🇸 spent $257 billion 💰💰💰 when adjusted for inflation to 2020 dollars on Project #Apollo between 📆 1960 and 📆 1973. The total amount spent on #NASA during this period was $482 billion 💰💰💰💰💰 adjusted https://www.planetary.org/space-policy/cost-of-apollo
#NewGlenn:
#Arianespace estimated the launch price to be around $68 million. This would give it the price-per-kilo ratio of $1,511/kg (#SpaceX’s #Falcon9 sits at about $3,986/kg with a fat profit margin).
#Starship is estimated to cost $100 million a pop, but Musk estimates launch costs could drop to $10 million (or even less). How much SpaceX plans to charge customers per flight is still unclear https://spaceinsider.tech/2025/01/10/new-glenn-vs-starship-a-detailed-comparison-in-2025/
#NewGlenn is giving the #Falcon9 and especially the #FalconHeavy a run for its money. #Starship's low launch costs, high cadence, and massive payload bay could turn the industry on its head https://spaceinsider.tech/2025/01/10/new-glenn-vs-starship-a-detailed-comparison-in-2025
Until Starship begins commercial operations, New Glenn’s 7-m-diameter 📏 fairing may be the best option for customers whose spacecraft don’t fit in the roughly 5 m fairings of Falcons and #ULA’s #Vulcan, or to launch more spacecraft at a time https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/features/two-launches-two-companies-two-billionaires
#NASA has contracts with four companies to gather a small amount of material from the lunar 🌙 surface—as a proof of concept to show that extraction is possible.
NASA doesn’t have a similar demonstration for mining ⚒️ #asteroids. But the space rock seekers nevertheless continue their quest for treasure. They believe Earth needs, and will pay handily for, what space 🌌 has to offer. https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/05/in-the-race-for-space-metals-companies-hope-to-cash-in/
“#Amazon is purchasing up to 83 launches from #Arianespace, #BlueOrigin and #ULA”. At current market prices, it is assumed that the launch Capex from these 83 launches could be as high as $6 billion to $10 billion, deploying only half 🌗 as many satellites as #Starlink already did by 📆 mid-2024. If #Kuiper had access to the same launch deal as Starlink, its launch Capex could be less than half 📉 of what it is estimated here. https://spacenews.com/spacex-and-the-categorical-imperative-to-achieve-low-launch-cost/
📊 #ESA 🇪🇺 and its member states forked over $4.4B 💰💰💰💰 to develop #Ariane6. Customer launches are unlikely to pay back development costs any time soon.
#SpaceX has invested over $5B 💰💰💰💰💰 in #Starship 🚀 R&D to date. Starship has proven its expendable capability, and the company is focusing on achieving full #reusability ♻️.
#NASA spent a dizzying $24B 💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰 developing #SLS
https://payloadspace.com/rocket-development-costs-by-vehicle-payload-research
Elon Musk officially endorsed Donald Trump for president of the United States on July 13, 2024, shortly after Trump survived an assassination attempt. Musk, a billionaire technology entrepreneur, has made groundbreaking contributions in multiple industries, particularly space travel and exploration.
It’s unlikely a Harris administration would make revolutionary new moves on #space 🌌 beyond pressing ahead with #Artemis. If Harris continues the Biden administration’s policy, it’s unlikely the #SpaceAgency would see a significant boost in funding 💰. Overall, #SpaceExperts are expecting more of the same if Harris takes office. https://www.politico.eu/article/kamala-harris-moonshot-presidency-donald-trump-us-elections-2024-space-race-china-moon-lunar/
🇮🇳 #India's #SpaceAgency expects a 20%-30% increase 📈 in its budget (currently $1.55 billion 💵) in the coming years. Their rocket launch 🚀 prices are on a par with #SpaceX's. #NASA's approved budget stands at $25 billion 💰. The Indian government estimates its share of the market is currently just $8 billion, but it is aiming to increase 📈 that to $44 billion over the next decade https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-space-agency-chief-sees-higher-funding-2024-08-27
🇮🇳 #India’s budgetary allocation for its space programme is $1.55bn - #NASA’s budget for the year is $25bn 💰. India spent $74m on the #Mars 🔴 orbiter #Mangalyaan and $75m on #Chandrayaan3. NASA’s #Maven orbiter had cost $582m 💰 and Russia’s #Luna25 $133m. #ISRO employs far fewer people and pays lower salaries, which makes Indian projects competitive 💪 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn9xlgnnpzvo
SpanTrik, an Indian space launch services company established in May 2022, has announced the development of a reusable rocket, Raven, designed to reduce launch costs. According to the company, Raven will be capable of carrying payloads of up to 8,000 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a reusable configuration and up to 16,000 kg in an expendable mode.The company states that in a
🇮🇳 #ISRO has begun the construction of the launch complex at #Kulasekarapattinam *, Tamil Nadu. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/kulasekarapattinam-spaceport-can-launch-rockets-in-two-years/articleshow/119130109.cms
* 🗺️ already mapped by @Ohsin in #OpenStreetMap https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1257155117
🇮🇳 #Mangalyaan2 will perform a direct entry, meaning the descent stage will plunge straight into the atmosphere without first orbiting the planet. The landing sequence will begin with #aerobraking to slow the spacecraft using atmospheric drag. At an altitude of approximately 1.3 kilometres above the Martian surface, powered descent engines will ignite 🔥 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/how-mangalyaan-2-will-land-on-mars-isro-chief-reveals-plan/articleshow/120306889.cms
Nearly twice 📊 the funding it took to build the largest structure in the world, the #BurjKhalifa, which is seven times taller https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/08/nasas-second-large-launch-tower-has-gotten-stupidly-expensive/
Following lengthy delays ⏳🥱, #Ariane6 blasted off on July 9 and successfully carried out a series of trials. But the mission ended with the launcher coasting in orbit without releasing its final batch of payloads. The #Arianespace CEO said the failure had been traced to a #software flaw that would be repaired before the next launch. https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/ariane-6-set-new-launch-this-year-after-software-flaw-identified-2024-09-16
Some in #Europe’s #SpaceIndustry view #Starship as a sign of how far behind they are compared to #SpaceX. “It shows and confirms that Europe 🇪🇺 has completely lost touch. Can it still catch up ? No chance. At least not the way things are going at the moment.” https://spacenews.com/expending-expendables-more-launch-companies-betting-their-future-reusability
🇪🇺 #European space firms will require a ton of investment. #ESA says that public investment towards the region’s #SpaceIndustry is around £12 billion per year.
This is around 11% 📊 of the #global public investment in the space industry. The European space industry boasts over 16% of global #private space investments. https://orbitaltoday.com/2025/02/03/european-space-industry-calls-for-more-investment-to-compete-on-the-global-stage
The #Chinese 🇨🇳 #SpaceIndustry recognizes that the future of spaceflight is fully reusable ♻️, and even its state enterprises are re-calibrating toward such an outcome.
By contrast, #US 🇺🇸 policymakers seem determined to force #NASA to continue building the ultra-expensive and expendable #SLS rocket for decades. This consumes a NASA budget 💰 that could otherwise be directed toward the kind of technological advances that might keep the US civil #SpaceProgram ahead of #China. https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/11/chinas-long-term-lunar-plans-now-depend-on-developing-its-own-starship/
So far this year, #SpaceX has launched a total of 119 Falcon 9 rockets, for an average of a launch every 2.3 days. SpaceX has achieved a flight rate about 30 times higher than the shuttle at one-hundredth 📉 the cost. https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/12/spacex-has-set-all-kinds-of-records-with-its-falcon-9-rocket-this-year
📊 Number of #SpaceX launches 2024 : 137 (#Falcon9: 131, #FalconHeavy: 2, #Starship: 4)
Non-Starlink missions: 45
Launch success rate: 99.3%
Landing success rate: 99.2% (
Total payload mass: ~1,581,698 kg
https://spaceexplored.com/spacex-launches-2024
SpaceX has increased Falcon 9 launch pricing to $74 million and raised rideshare rates to $7,000 per kilogram. We analyze historical pricing trends, inflation drivers, demand constraints, and implications for mission planners.
#FalconHeavy has a cost per kilogram to #LEO of approximately $1,400 💵 per kg. The cost per kilogram to orbit using the #SpaceX #Starship is approximately $94 🪙 https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2025/01/spacex-starship-roadmap-to-100-times-lower-cost-launch.html
#SpaceX can load the #Superheavy booster faster than a #Falcon9 and carry over 10 times the propellant https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/04/ship-39-booster-19-static-fire/
Spaceflight 🚀
Khleedril
