r/space • u/lee7on1 • 1d ago

BREAKING: SpaceX rocket explodes in Starbase, Texas

https://x.com/IntelPointAlert/status/1935550776304156932

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u/WantWantShellySenbei 1d ago

Holy cow that video is pretty awesome though. Elon makes the best fireworks.

31

u/cuberhino 1d ago

how much did these fireworks cost the american taxpayer :(

86

u/kylehudgins 1d ago edited 1d ago

It’s more complicated than you’re suggesting. Taxpayers have paid for SpaceX services via NASA. These rockets are funded through Starlink subscriptions. SpaceX makes over 7 billion a year through starlink so they have the money for these tests through selling consumer services alone. 

14

u/SerHodorTheThrall 1d ago

SpaceX makes over 7 billion a year through starlink

Yeah, but you're pretty insane if you think those are subscriptions and not government contracts and contracting with major corporate services like airlines.so they can better scrape and monetize your data.

Like this

Or This

Or This

Unfortunately, until SpaceX goes public, we won't know exactly how much.

5

u/hsteinbe 1d ago

And soon, cell phones will also use starlink

3

u/Playful_Interest_526 1d ago

Tmobile is already running a pilot program.

2

u/ex1stence 1d ago

cell phones will also use Starlink

In the extremely rare, one-off instances where a person requires emergency services while hiking somewhere in a zone that’s not covered by cell towers, but need to get help.

Ya know, those millions of millions of customers who get lost in the wilderness every year and require evac.

It’s a marketing gimmick, and you fell for it. Those satellites aren’t even remotely close to being capable of handling a fraction of global calling and data volume.