{"id":587828,"date":"2021-07-10T13:51:27","date_gmt":"2021-07-10T17:51:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=587828"},"modified":"2021-07-10T13:51:29","modified_gmt":"2021-07-10T17:51:29","slug":"virgin-galactics-rocket-launch-would-be-impossible-without-capitalism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virgin-galactics-rocket-launch-would-be-impossible-without-capitalism\/","title":{"rendered":"Virgin Galactic\u2019s Rocket Launch Would Be Impossible Without Capitalism"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fvirgin-galactics-rocket-launch-would-be-impossible-without-capitalism%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=587828&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Richard-Branson.jpg?w=1200&amp;h=800&amp;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span>This weekend, Virgin Galactic \u2014 a firm started by British entrepreneur <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/richard-branson-beats-jeff-bezos-to-the-punch-virgin-galactic-to-launch-full-crew-test-flight-9-days-before-amazon\"><span>Richard Branson<\/span><\/a><span> \u2014 will send its first full-crew flight into space. Branson will be closely followed by Amazon founder <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/jeff-bezos-heading-to-space-after-resigning-as-amazon-ceo\"><span>Jeff Bezos<\/span><\/a><span>, who is joining the first crewed flight of Blue Origin\u2019s New Shepard on July 20 \u2014 the anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The two breakthroughs represent the latest of many recent milestones for space companies. Last summer, SpaceX \u2014 a firm launched by Tesla CEO <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/success-u-s-launches-men-into-space-from-american-soil-first-time-in-nearly-a-decade\"><span>Elon Musk<\/span><\/a><span> \u2014 became the first private venture to send American astronauts to the International Space Station.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>These developments massively impact the way in which Americans envision space travel. Members of Generation X spent their formative years witnessing Apollo 11 and other missions continuously expand the reaches of human space travel.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As NASA\u2019s human space programs wound down, so did Generation X\u2019s dreams of discovering humanity\u2019s last frontier. However, private companies are rekindling widespread optimism for a robust space age. A recent Gallup <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2018\/06\/22\/many-in-u-s-have-confidence-in-what-private-space-companies-will-accomplish\/\"><span>poll<\/span><\/a><span> reveals that 95% of Americans who pay attention to space news are confident that private companies will build safe and reliable spacecraft.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Members of Generation X \u2014 including the present writer\u2019s father \u2014 studied engineering in college with the goal of working for NASA. Today, members of Generation Z \u2014 including the present writer\u2019s brother \u2014 study engineering with the goal of working for SpaceX.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Why the drastic shift? Because government-led space travel is going nowhere \u2014 fast.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Like other government programs, NASA has no incentives to cut costs or innovate. After six decades of operation, NASA still <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/futurism.com\/spacex-launch-cost-less-nasa\"><span>spends<\/span><\/a><span> an average of $152 million per launch. Meanwhile, after two decades of operation, SpaceX <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/2020\/10\/05\/how-much-cheaper-are-spacex-reusable-rockets-now-w\/#:~:text=SpaceX%2C%20the%20pioneering%20rocket%20launch,four%20and%20a%20half%20years.\"><span>spends<\/span><\/a><span> $62 million.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>With one-third of the experience and a fraction of the workforce \u2014 and without access to a multibillion-dollar <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/aerospace.csis.org\/data\/history-nasa-budget\/\"><span>pool<\/span><\/a><span> of no-strings-attached taxpayer money \u2014 SpaceX has managed to shave 60% off the cost of a rocket launch. Eventually, SpaceX plans to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/futurism.com\/spacex-launch-cost-less-nasa\"><span>send<\/span><\/a><span> its Starship rocket into orbit for $2 million \u2014 a 98% cost saving over NASA\u2019s current rate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>A primary source of cost savings created by SpaceX and other firms is an emphasis upon reusable rockets. SpaceX\u2019s boosters touch down on drone ships or land-based platforms following successful missions. As Elon Musk has described, failing to reuse rockets is as foolish as scrapping commercial jets each time they are used to cross the Atlantic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Space entrepreneurs\u2019 innovative vehicles thereby capture the minds of the public \u2014 and investors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>For one, SpaceX\u2019s Falcon 9 Heavy drew international attention after it simultaneously landed two side boosters \u2014 producing spectacular footage in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Falcon Heavy &amp; Starman\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/A0FZIwabctw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<p><span>For another, Virgin Galactic\u2019s SpaceShipTwo can be seen carrying a vessel into the upper atmosphere before it detaches, launches itself into space, and sticks a perfect landing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"VSS Unity&#039;s First Spaceflight\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/h8T9mVkGh3s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<p><span>Rather than forcibly wresting money away from taxpayers, space entrepreneurs inspire investors and the public by casting a compelling vision for making space accessible. Because they are constrained by investor capital with real value, they are forced to solve space travel\u2019s real problems \u2014 a process that decreases costs, fosters competition, and advances technology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>When you watch Branson and his crew reach for the stars this weekend, be sure to remember that the launch would be impossible without capitalism.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author\u2019s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\"><i><span>member<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This weekend, Virgin Galactic \u2014 a firm started by British entrepreneur Richard Branson \u2014 will send its first full-crew flight into space. Branson will be closely followed by Amazon founder &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2314408,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Richard-Branson.jpg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"Virgin Galactic\u2019s Rocket Launch Would Be Impossible Without Capitalism","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-587828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Richard-Branson.jpg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"Virgin Galactic\u2019s Rocket Launch Would Be Impossible Without Capitalism","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/587828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=587828"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/587828\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2314408"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=587828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=587828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=587828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}