Posted on May 9, 2019
Musk and Bezos vie to build US military rocket of the future
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The US Air Force has, traditionally, done a terrible job of buying new rockets.
Now, as lawmakers consider a total reorganization of the US military’s space operations, the Pentagon’s latest attempt to purchase new launch vehicles has become a hotly contested rivalry featuring the military-industrial complex and rocket billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Of course, there’s a Russia angle, too.
The battle could shape not just US national security but also the future of private space companies writ large—access to revenue from military launches bolster a rocket-maker’s offerings to a range of potential customers. Musk’s SpaceX revolutionized the space industry and became the world’s leading commercial launcher thanks, in part, to winning Pentagon business.
Now, as lawmakers consider a total reorganization of the US military’s space operations, the Pentagon’s latest attempt to purchase new launch vehicles has become a hotly contested rivalry featuring the military-industrial complex and rocket billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Of course, there’s a Russia angle, too.
The battle could shape not just US national security but also the future of private space companies writ large—access to revenue from military launches bolster a rocket-maker’s offerings to a range of potential customers. Musk’s SpaceX revolutionized the space industry and became the world’s leading commercial launcher thanks, in part, to winning Pentagon business.
Musk and Bezos vie to build US military rocket of the future
Posted from qz.com
Space
Pentagon
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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Competition is good; it brings down prices and increases efficiency. But specific defense industries (like building rockets, airplanes and ships) need to be preserved. If they are allowed to shut down from lack of orders their workforce will be forced to find other work. This is why NASA used Russian rockets for their launches in the past.
Without our Military/Industrial complex our military could be shooting Norinco-manufactured weapons, sailing Daewoo-built ships and flying Sukhoy-built planes in battle.
Without our Military/Industrial complex our military could be shooting Norinco-manufactured weapons, sailing Daewoo-built ships and flying Sukhoy-built planes in battle.
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