Maintaining access to space is a national security priority for states so they will always subsidize their own launch providers. Russia is not going to shut down Roscosmos and launch everything with SpaceX (and they also can’t even if they wanted to). That’s the reason those companies are still around. In the case of ULA the US government maintains two launch providers available by means of Assured Access to Space directives. That’s ULA and SpaceX share the US government’s space market.
But all national launch providers use to supplement their income with commercial launches and SpaceX has completely sucked the air out of the room in that regard. It’s now more expensive for all these countries to keep these programs operational.
panick21_
I know, that's why I said the market doesn't work like other markets and they aren't going extinct. And why the person I responded to was wrong on that point.
But all national launch providers use to supplement their income with commercial launches and SpaceX has completely sucked the air out of the room in that regard. It’s now more expensive for all these countries to keep these programs operational.