BrangdonJ
BrangdonJ t1_jdmfqop wrote
Reply to comment by Sea_Ask6095 in Rocket Lab targets $50 million launch price for Neutron rocket to challenge SpaceX’s Falcon 9 by cnbc_official
I would expect them to price Starship at or below Falcon 9 from very early on. That lets them move payloads from Falcon 9 to Starship. Every Starship launch is an opportunity to practice landing of the first and second stages. It makes sense to include commercial payloads for their practice launches even if they do so at a loss, because they need to launch anyway and some revenue is better than none.
They'll charge what the market will bear, and it won't bear more than Falcon 9 (for payloads Falcon 9 can carry) because Starship doesn't have the track record of success.
BrangdonJ t1_jdmeyrk wrote
Reply to comment by Reddit-runner in Rocket Lab targets $50 million launch price for Neutron rocket to challenge SpaceX’s Falcon 9 by cnbc_official
They aren't going to be launching with a reduced configuration unless reuse attempts go very wrong. They will launch relatively cheaply, because some revenue is better than none, but only with configurations that are potentially reusable so they can get reuse perfected.
BrangdonJ t1_jdmeimb wrote
Reply to comment by FTR_1077 in Rocket Lab targets $50 million launch price for Neutron rocket to challenge SpaceX’s Falcon 9 by cnbc_official
If reusability didn't save them money I doubt they'd do it. And they've said it's much cheaper to refurbish than to build new. Those rounds were to raise funds for Starship and/or Starlink development. Both of those have been money-sinks.
BrangdonJ t1_j9yphih wrote
Reply to comment by valcatosi in After Vulcan comes online, ULA plans to dramatically increase launch cadence by OutlandishnessOk2452
I see the switch to methane as part of a sea change in the launch industry. Part of the realisation that hydrogen sucks as a first stage fuel, which is significant because NASA in particular were fixated on it for decades (and still are for SLS). Part of the New Space willingness to rethink old assumptions and ways of doing things. The switch is a symptom rather than a cause, but still a sign of the times.
BrangdonJ t1_iyrfbnv wrote
Reply to comment by Martianspirit in Private firm prepares to send first Methane-fuelled rocket into Space by wmdolls
By "large scale", I mean for example if P2P methane rockets replace much of the airline industry (as SpaceX hopes for Starship), and/or if methane replaces fossil fuels in other industries. Methane itself can be carbon neutral, so leakage may be its biggest drawback.
BrangdonJ t1_iyr5f4l wrote
Given how popular methane rockets are nowadays, it feels strange to me that none have yet made it to orbit. Hopefully by the end of the year two will have.
BrangdonJ t1_iyr594t wrote
Reply to comment by gibbillionreasons in Private firm prepares to send first Methane-fuelled rocket into Space by wmdolls
If it is ever used at large scale, methane leaks during production and transport could be an issue.
BrangdonJ t1_ixv2t1l wrote
Reply to If you could selectively delete your memory of any film (or film franchise) what would you choose? by AdHelpful7287
Nothing. I enjoyed movies with surprises the first time around, like Fight Club or The Prestige, but I also enjoy them knowing what's coming. Some films can't be fully appreciated on one viewing.
BrangdonJ t1_jdmgd8c wrote
Reply to comment by Bewaretheicespiders in Rocket Lab targets $50 million launch price for Neutron rocket to challenge SpaceX’s Falcon 9 by cnbc_official
True, but there will be a lot of competition for the number 2 slot. ULA, Rocketlab, Relativity Space, Blue Origin.