We Are Still Not In The Space Age

If it meets its design goal the SpaceX Falcon 9 will cost $250 per lb to put into low Earth orbit (LEO). That is about a tenth of the price of competing alternatives. Suppose Elon Musk succeeds in getting the price done that far. Suppose he goes even farther and hits $100 per pound. Will we be in the space age yet? Nope. Why not? Well, compare to traveling around here on Earth by jet. Suppose you get a $2000 flight to somewhere distant and you and your luggage weigh 200 lb. That's $10 per lb. Much cheaper. Plus, the airplane ticket price includes the cost of a comfortable temperature and breathable atmosphere in the main cabin. But wait. The...

Source: FuturePundit - December 26, 2015 Category: Research Authors: Randall Parker Source Type: blogs