Ukraine’s digital minister has reported concerns about the country’s overreliance on Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet system amid the war with Russia, The New York Times reports.

  • hglman@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    13
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    11 months ago

    That’s just how impactful reusability is. Buying a tank of gas vs a new car.

    • tagliatelle@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      22
      arrow-down
      13
      ·
      edit-2
      11 months ago

      Reusability has nothing to do with it. Hardly any of the rockets have been reusable (in terms of saving significant money on launches). It’s just that spacex is dumping enormous amounts of satellites in LEO. It’s going to become a huge problem when other companies/countries does the same.

      • hglman@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        11 months ago

        Its only possible bc a launch is cheap enough for them to do it. Cost of of placing them in orbit is the whole reason there is a problem.

        • tagliatelle@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          9
          ·
          11 months ago

          Yes, but that’s not because of reusability. They’re not at that stage yet (willl they ever?)

            • tagliatelle@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              2
              arrow-down
              7
              ·
              edit-2
              11 months ago

              Yet the cost doesn’t go down. Spacex boss defined reuse as that the stage can be reused the next day with just an inspection. The reuse they avtually so is rebuilding it with the older parts. At least last time I checked the cost savings were just a few 10 % while they promised 90+

              Edit: did some more checking, and it appears third party(military and government) pay significantly higher launch costs ~100mill vs 60mill list price), so might be they’re subsidising the starlink cost by funneling money from the state.

              • DominicHillsun@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                8
                ·
                11 months ago

                Wow, I wonder why SpaceX which has a monopoly on reusable rockets are charging as much as they can from their customers.

                Lol, lmao even

              • JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                4
                ·
                11 months ago

                Cost didn’t go down because there’s no competition. They’re just pocketing the extra money. Why would a private company charge even less for something they’re already the cheapest and best at? Why not make extra money?

      • JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        11 months ago

        ULA I believe said reuse would be profitable for them after 12 launches. For SpaceX, it’s likely lower since they’re built more from the ground up for reusability. But they’re up to reflying 20 times, so it’ll be even more profitable for them.

        Also, starlink latches have been on older boosters, pushing the max reuses. So they benefit much more from reusability than the average falcon 9 customer.