[ACCount37]

Notably, Blue Origin got its case thrown out, as NASA has demonstrated that Starship was selected for HLS over National Team option on technical merit.

Not that it stopped Bezos from lobbying for a second round of HLS contracts and securing a contract for Blue Origin anyway. But at least that resulted in a second HLS - instead of SpaceX's contract being clawed back.

[ionwake]

I just thought once you are that rich, when doing "space races" that there was some sort of collaboration, due to difficulty, greater good? Im not sure why I see the space race differently

[fragmede]

Once you're that rich, your ego won't let someone else's rocket be bigger/faster/better than yours. Otherwise we (humanity) would collaboratively be going to the moon first.

[typpilol]

Isn't Starship doomed anyways because of the refueling issue?

[panick21_]

Anti-SpaceX people always do this "Wherever SpaceX is, go to Step +1, claim this step is impossible and therefore SpaceX is doomed". They have been doing this for 15 years.

[ben_w]

Starship isn't doomed for that reason, all the technical stuff on starship looks pretty good.

What may doom it is the fact that Elon Musk has pissed off basically everyone, because means that he and his businesses are running into a lot of political danger, so he may find his space stuff banned for non-technical reasons.

[ACCount37]

"Doomed"? If you listen to every two-bit "Elon Musk bad" grifter, then, sure.

In truth, Starship needs orbital refueling to get to the Moon - but so does Blue Moon HLS. Artemis depends on someone being able to figure orbital propellant storage and fuel transfer either way.

Which may have been a conscious decision by NASA. Orbital propellant storage and refueling are technologies that unlock a lot of capabilities - so if you get into a silly race with China over who gets to reenact Apollo 11 first, you might as well get that out of it.