Latest / The Fiscal Policy Podcast with Fexingo: Government Budgets, Stimulus, and Public Spending
Why the Government Pays More for Space Than Musk Does
When NASA spends billions on a rocket that SpaceX launches for a fraction of the cost, the gap isn't just about inefficiency—it's about mission, risk, and the rules of public procurement. In this episode, Lucas and Luna unpack why government space programs cost so much more than commercial ones, using NASA's SLS and the Artemis program as the centerpiece. They explore the reasons behind the price difference: safety standards, congressional mandates, the cost of jobs in key districts, and the inherent difficulty of buying bespoke, high-stakes hardware through a process designed…
The skinny
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