For those skeptical about Space Exploration Technologies’ bargain basement launch costs, SpaceX founder and Chief Executive Elon Musk has posted a response on his company’s website.
The price of a standard flight on a Falcon 9 rocket is $54 million, he says, and a full NASA Dragon cargo mission to the international space station runs $133 million including inflation.
“I recognize that our prices shatter the historical cost models of government-led developments, but these prices are not arbitrary, premised on capturing a dominant share of the market, or ‘teaser’ rates meant to lure in an eager market only to be increased later,” Musk says. “These prices are based on known costs and a demonstrated track record, and they exemplify the potential of America’s commercial space industry.”
