Continuing drop in prices?

I've seen at least one report that if their predictions for Block 5
hold up when they tear down their first one, SpaceX is planning to
drop the cost of a Falcon 9 launch from the current $62 million to $50
million. I assume that's for customers who are willing to accept a
used rocket until they've got enough of those users so that building
the occasional new rocket for a user who insists on that isn't a big
deal.

If that report is true and SpaceX can achieve the kind of launch rates
they're talking about (60+ launches per year), they are going to own
the space launch business.


--
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable
man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore,
all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
--George Bernard Shaw

In article ,
says...

I've seen at least one report that if their predictions for Block 5
hold up when they tear down their first one, SpaceX is planning to
drop the cost of a Falcon 9 launch from the current $62 million to $50
million. I assume that's for customers who are willing to accept a
used rocket until they've got enough of those users so that building
the occasional new rocket for a user who insists on that isn't a big
deal.

If that report is true and SpaceX can achieve the kind of launch rates
they're talking about (60+ launches per year), they are going to own
the space launch business.

That's what I've read as well and it makes sense if they really can
reuse a first stage up to 10 times without refurbishment. I've also
read they're tearing this one apart to verify their design changes.
They went so far as to remove the landing legs from the stage instead of
folding them back up again (which is supposedly what Block 5 is designed
to support).

But, their cost for a launch has to be well below $50 million for them
to make this price drop. They need the cash to develop and deploy
Starlink as well as to develop BFR. No doubt that price also hinges on
their ability to recover and reuse fairing 2.0 halves. I saw a picture
of a recovery vessel that brought back what looks like an intact fairing
half from the last launch. No Mr. Steven on the east coast, so this one
was fished out of the water.

Jeff
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On 5/17/2018 5:23 PM, Fred J. McCall wrote: If that report is true and
SpaceX can achieve the kind of launch rates they're talking about (60+
launches per year), they are going to ow the space launch business.
Come to Crazy Elon's Rocket Emporium. Where the prices are INSANE!


Dave