[avmich]

> NASA has provided SpaceX with lots of expertise and assistance.

Can you provide a link about that? I'm aware about SpaceX-NASA cooperation in debugging SpaceX disasters and also financial assistance from NASA on various stages of SpaceX evolution, but would like to learn about substantial involvement of NASA into important technical design and development processes in SpaceX.

[greglindahl]

SpaceX's Merlin engine started with plans and the team that developed the NASA-funded FASTRAC engine -- so there it is on Day 1 of SpaceX's existence.

[avmich]

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/background/facts/...

"In a salient departure from traditional engine design, NASA and its business partners have adapted commercial, off-the-shelf technologies and common manufacturing methods to develop the Fastrac engine. Significant involvement by small business has aided in broadening the competition and producing lower cost hardware.

For example, Barber-Nichols, Inc. of Arvada, Colo., worked alongside Marshall engineers to design and manufacture the turbopump. The Colorado-based company is experienced in building turbomachinery for the automotive industry and chemical plants, and not traditionally associated with the aerospace industry. The company helped design a turbopump for the Fastrac engine that can be built easily using commercial manufacturing techniques."

Sounds like NASA itself took help from the industry then.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_(rocket_engine_family)

"The SpaceX turbopump was an entirely new, clean sheet design contracted to Barber-Nichols, Inc. in 2002 who performed all design, engineering analysis, and construction; the company had previously worked on turbopumps for the RS-88 (Bantam) and NASA Fastrac engine programs."

Turbopump is often the most complex part of the engine; doing it from scratch raises doubts how much the engine was derived.

I don't think NASA helped to SpaceX that much before Falcon-1 reached the orbit.