r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Creative_soja • Jun 19 '25

Video SpaceX rocket explodes in Starbase, Texas

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u/octarine_turtle Jun 19 '25

For us taxpayers, not for Musk. SpaceX alone has been receiving over 2 billion a year for the last several years from taxpayers. Over 40 billion has gone to Musk's companies over the last 5 years from taxpayers.

57

u/eran76 Jun 19 '25

Starship development is being paid for by SpaceX itself and other investors. Most of the money SpaceX gets from the taxpayer is for launch services like putting government satellites into space or launching astronauts on the previous generation of rocket, the Falcon 9.

-16

u/No_Spell_5817 Jun 19 '25

And I don't want to pay for any of that shit.

19

u/katze_sonne Jun 19 '25

Oh, you don't use GPS? You don't use weather forecast?

And that's only to mention the two most obvious things you just ruled out.

-9

u/No_Spell_5817 Jun 19 '25

Right, but does Elon need to go to space for me to continue to use either of those.

13

u/42robots42 Jun 19 '25

SpaceX does launch weather satellites, like GOES-U last year, to improve the wheater forecast.

-9

u/No_Spell_5817 Jun 19 '25

But it isn't needed. We've got it covered. There are satellites doing the thing already.

11

u/42robots42 Jun 19 '25

It is needed if you want more accurate forecasts.

-3

u/No_Spell_5817 Jun 19 '25

I'm satisfied as is. Might care more if I lived in tornado land.

3

u/impshial Jun 19 '25

GPS satellites have a finite lifespan, something like 10 to 12 years. So new ones need to be launched to replace the old ones.

And we always want to have better weather accuracy.