SpaceX and Blue Origin are no more efficient at building spacecraft than NASA. But that’s not the point of them

SpaceX and Blue Origin are no more efficient at building spacecraft than NASA. But that’s not the point of them

Industry-built spacecraft were indeed cheaper, but only for lower-risk projects: the so-called Class C and D missions, where the scientific stakes are modest and the chance of failure is acceptable. Once the analysis moved up to Class A and B missions, the high-profile, flagship science projects where budgets balloon and timelines stretch, the difference evaporated. Nasa and industry came out roughly equal. In some cases, Nasa was cheaper.