>>1475272Space launches are ENTIRELY about money. If your lift system isn't financially viable, it isn't viable at all. Remember that Shuttle was literally invented right from the beginning be as financially efficient as possible. The F150 vs Fiesta analogy doesn't work because F150 was really designed to commute in.
Better analogy:
You need to make an Uber eats delivery. Your options are:
1. $35k Tesla Model 3 on autopilot with nobody in it
2. $175k Ford F450 king ranch diesel with a custom camper/sleeper cab with long bed with a boom crane with 7 people crammed into it
You can do many things in one trip with the F450 with enough months of planning to line everything up. You can do more things overall with the truck. F450 is honestly going to last longer but those diesel engine and transmission rebuilds cost the price of a new Tesla. If something goes wrong mid-mission, the 7 people inside might be able to do something about it... maybe. You can go as long as 17 days with people living in that camper cab. You can even stick stuff in the bed and bring it home.
The big, highly capable, complicated truck is a better vehicle. But you started off budgeting for a V6 F150, and bragged to everyone about how you were going to get 50 mpg. And now since it's the only vehicle in your driveway, you have to look like a clown spending all that money on fuel and maintenance when you need to make an Uber Eats delivery.
The truck looks pretty shit now that someone learned how to tow stuff bigger than you ever could just by bolting 3 teslas together.
You have to put this into perspective though. This whole thing started off in 1975. Only one of these vehicles was even possible. As of 2011, it's time to park those old money pit girls and move on.
