Senate bill targets Elon and SpaceX, only allowing up to 50% of launches from one provider

If it weren’t for SpaceX, we wouldn’t have a space program. Is NASA doing anything meaningful these days?

How about we just let whoever can do it the best for the least?

That'd be fine if the others were capable... but...

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Have any others reliably put payload into space at this point? I mean, SpaceX is launching 80-100 times a year without any incidents.

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Blue Origin (Bezos) is doing fairly well but nowhere near the volume Elon is putting up there. This bill is likely being driven by BO or Rocket Lab.

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Probably something scaled would be better to pass (eg 80% by 2028, 70% by 2030…)

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True... but also, SpaceX isn't a cost plus contract.

So any company can go out there and bid and out hustle them if they'd like. Thats one way SpaceX got to where they are. Early on, Elon sued the govt multiple times for giving out non-bid contracts they ultimately had to retract and which he won.

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You can seek waivers.

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With no guarantee of approval and dramatically slowing down launch cadence. They plan these launches sometimes years in advance. I don't know how long this bill would be active, but the next time the presidency or senate flips, easily could have a Dem administrator or committee that denies any waivers for Elon, for political reasons.

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I’m fine with getting more competition in this space.

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Reliable launch vehicles aren't like opening a lemonade stand. They require billions in investment, decade(s) of development, and the right person running the program. It's a zero-fail industry. Limiting half your launches to provably subpar products is the height of stupidity.

Once again government, greed, regulations, pettiness, and hubris get in the way of the US space program being where it should be. Now China and others have almost caught up.

Guess the uniparty misses the kickbacks for the Putin cab rides.

There would still be American astronauts stuck at the space station if it weren't for Elon and SpaceX.

How about a competitive bid process? If one company gets 100% but saves the tax payers billions then who gives a frick.

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Is NASA doing anything meaningful these days?

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Other than rolling a defective giant rocket back and forth from a launch pad you mean?