But keep in mind that SpaceX's lineup of launch vehicles will probably allow them to capture a rather substantial segment of worldwide launch contracts.
This is not a small market.
We're talking about many billions of dollars. And their vehicles are both more capable and dramatically cheaper than the competition. It seems highly likely that they will be rolling in billions of dollars of profit in a rather short period of time.
Take billions of dollars of excess revenue per year, roll it into more R&D. Take additional billions and an engineering base from a newly formed space tourism industry and add that. And then maybe it doesn't look so crazy if SpaceX is sending humans to Mars on their own dime, independent of any government funding.
But keep in mind that SpaceX's lineup of launch vehicles will probably allow them to capture a rather substantial segment of worldwide launch contracts.
This is not a small market.
We're talking about many billions of dollars. And their vehicles are both more capable and dramatically cheaper than the competition. It seems highly likely that they will be rolling in billions of dollars of profit in a rather short period of time.
Take billions of dollars of excess revenue per year, roll it into more R&D. Take additional billions and an engineering base from a newly formed space tourism industry and add that. And then maybe it doesn't look so crazy if SpaceX is sending humans to Mars on their own dime, independent of any government funding.