[mmooss]

> the reality is that SpaceX is in a different league

They aren't delivering, so maybe not. People on HN state the SpaceX talking points like they are reality. It's an Internet mob; there is no room for any serious examination of the issue.

[BHSPitMonkey]

Even if the bet on Starship fails to pay off, the existing Falcon 9 program is both (1) the dominant launch vehicle in terms of sheer quantity, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of missions and (2) the only system with a reusable first stage. Dragon routinely ferries humans to and from the ISS (and other trajectories) and no one blinks an eye.

How do you square that with "not delivering"? I don't doubt that China could surpass them in the next 5 years, but nobody else is realistically close to doing so.

[mmooss]

They aren't delivering Starship, at the least, not in time. That's what this discussion is about.

As I said, people here will do anything to promote SpaceX.

[electriclove]

I'm all for anyone making progress. Is another company doing similar things more quickly? Dig into what Starship is and you will see how ambitious their goals are.

[mmooss]

I have an ambitious goal to go to Alpha Centuri.