Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredguy123
For those who think SpaceX is a privately funded company, they are not. They receive billions of dollars in subsidies from the Federal Government.
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Does SpaceX get subsidies? Or does it get government contracts?
SpaceX is, after all, primarily a government contractor, racking up $15.3 billion in awarded contracts since 2003, according to US government records. Its most important businesses are launching astronauts and scientific missions for NASA, and flying satellites for the US military.
Musk may quibble that payments for goods and services aren’t government subsidies but he owes the existence of the company to NASA. If the US space agency hadn’t backed the rocket-maker with a critical contract in 2008, the company likely would have failed.
I believe that the US Government had a number of contracts in WW II including contracts with GM, Ford, and most major companies. I don't think the government has the ability to build ships, tanks, and guns but they can buy them from the private sector.
NASA has never built a rocket or spaceship. The Orion is built by Lockheed Martin.
Mercury and Gemini were built by McDonnell Aircraft.