In article ci.org,
says...

"bob haller" wrote in message news:b12e1d69-1446-458b-
...
was the breakthru just a awesome idea? or breakthus in materials
engines etc that made it possible?

Obviously yes. Very little has changed in rocketry in over 40, maybe
even 50 years. Only computers have become smaller and more powerful,
but in materials and propulsion technology nothing is used in Falcon 9
/ Dragon that wasn't available in the 1970's, although it might have
been more expensive.

Even LOX/kerosene engines were still "more expensive" when SpaceX
started up, which is why they developed their own engines instead of
buying them "off the shelf". But I see not fundamental reason why a
start up like SpaceX couldn't have built and flown a Falcon 9 in the
70's. But it would have taken someone like Musk to do it. Someone with
deep enough pockets and the vision to take on NASA head to head.

In the 70's, you'd have been crazy to try. NASA's planned "commercial"
flights on the space shuttle meant an end to competition for launch
services in the US. As proof, one only has to look at how the US
subsidized those "commercial" launches. You'd have to be a bit crazy to
want to directly compete with the US government.

Jeff
--
" Ares 1 is a prime example of the fact that NASA just can't get it
up anymore... and when they can, it doesn't stay up long. "
- tinker