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PumpkimJam4812 t1_j0mfgsn wrote

Reply to comment by Grazedaze in S. Korean startup Innospace seeks to launch its test launch vehicle HANBIT-TLV next week by Saltedline

You really think South Korea can't afford such a thing? Funding is easy when you can freely sell your citizens and take all their wealth.

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Grazedaze t1_j0mibxp wrote

But why now. What has forced an international space race? Chinas aggressive agenda?

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robertojh_200 t1_j0nfjrm wrote

Among other things. I’d say that the moon approaching economic viability is a big factor. There’s (actual) gold on the moon that would be profitable to mine and return to earth right now, with currently flying craft. Helium 3 is another ultra rare, ultra expensive resource that the moon has a lot of.

When starship flies, and economics of scale kick in, you see a snowball effect where the cheaper space flight becomes, the more lucrative it also becomes and therefore cheaper still. People want to jump on that next, final frontier.

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