Despite the fact that SpaceX has just won a massive launch contract from the US Air Force, the company’s CEO Elon Musk is super pissed.
That’s because SpaceX only allocated 40 percent of the Army’s national security missions between 2022 and 2026. The other 60 percent went to rival United Launch Alliance (ULA).
That’s not good enough for Musk. “Efficiently reusable missiles are all that matters for creating multiplanetary life and ‘spatial power,'” Musk wrote in a statement. Thursday tweet. “Because their rockets are not reusable, it will become clear over time that ULA is a complete waste of taxpayer money.”
“No one would suggest buying planes that fly only once & then crash into the ocean,” Musk continued in a separate tweet. “That would be absurd …”
Relatively calm and collected, CEO of ULA Tory Bruno opposite with a cold “I congratulate SpaceX on its USAF NSS Phase 2 award.”
“ULA is honored to be selected as one of two launchers in this tender,” Bruno said in a statement before the contract award ceremony.
SpaceX and ULA defeated Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman to launch Space Force missions from 2022. It’s a big deal, as the Pentagon expects to send about $ 1 billion a year at launches, according to CNBC.
This is not the first time SpaceX has had meat with the Air Force. In 2019, SpaceX prosecuted the Air Force for “misappropriation” of billions to Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman and ULA.
The contract (in part) provides $ 316 million to SpaceX for one and $ 337 million to ULA for two launches. The total amount of the contract is probably much more, as well CNN provided, if a total number of launches as total contract value have yet to be disclosed.
SpaceX has been eating slowly over the past few years in the wake of ULA’s launch contracts. This is probably due in large part to the fact that SpaceX has been increasingly able to reduce launch costs by reusing its rockets. The most recent milestone saw SpaceX use the same Falcon rocket booster as many as five times, landing it on a floating ship each time.
ULA’s approach is very different. The alliance, consisting of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, is working on a massive Vulcan missile system designed to replace the now aging Atlas and Delta rockets – all of which are unique.
The alliance claims it will try to capture rocket engines in the air with parachutes and helicopters, but no details have emerged about plans to test such a system in the future, such as CNBC reports.
The SpaceX competitor believes that its next-gen rocket system will do the job just right. “Vulcan Centaur delivers higher performance and greater affordability, while continuing to deliver our unparalleled reliability and orbital precision that will deliver lasting, timely access to space well into the future,” Bruno said in a press release. of his company.
READ MORE: Elon Musk dismisses SpaceX competitor ULA as’ a complete waste of taxpayers’ money ‘ [CNBC]
More about SpaceX: Watch SpaceX’s Epic Starship Test Flight inside the Giant Rocket
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