[phkahler]

>> How is it that SpaceX was able to accomplish the same thing in a fraction of the time

Because they already had Dragon sending cargo to the ISS at the start of the commercial crew program. They used the money to upgrade and get man rated. Boeing started their capsule from scratch. This still doesn't explain all of it, but nobody else has mentioned their head start.

[resolutebat]

Boeing has been building stuff for space since the early days of the Apollo program, including the Space Shuttle and big slabs of the ISS. If anything they should have had a head start on anything human rated.

[panick21_]

While that experienced helped, its not as as simple. The Crew Dragon was far more then just man rating the Cargo Dragon. It was a complete redesign, the structure is totally different. And the really hard part are things like the Launch escape system, SpaceX actually developed new engine from the ground, Boeing didn't.

SpaceX also got far less money, Boeing received like 80% more money.

[MangoCoffee]

ULA started a long time ago before SpaceX. It's really unfair to say Boeing doesn't have a head start. if anything, ULA/Boeing failed because their leadership