http://www.spacex.com/updates.php

Everything is going well for the first launch of Falcon 9 in 5 days time.

Good to see a private enterprise starting to take over space transportation. We might actually see some results now.  I could never understand why the Americans gave NASA a monopoly on space travel in the past.

This vehicle will provide an alternative means of delivery for supplies for the International Space Station, and possibly even crew members in the future if all goes well.

Quote:

I could never understand why the Americans gave NASA a monopoly

I think the monopoly was natural, given that flying to space was such an enourmous money loser.

freediver wrote on May 22^nd, 2010 at 10:15am:

Quote: I could never understand why the Americans gave NASA a monopoly I think the monopoly was natural, given that flying to space was such an enourmous money loser.

The original monopoly was natural perhaps. The fact that it continued past the 1980's  was not. Installing communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit became highly profitable about then.

Quote:

Installing communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit became highly profitable about then.

Did the industry privatise then?

Perhaps it was about military rather than economic power.

The industry I was talking about is space transportation, and the answer is no.

You mean human/passenger space transportation? There still does not appear to be enough demand for a profitable proivate industry. It may never happen, given the impending oil shortage and carbon taxes.

freediver wrote on May 23^rd, 2010 at 5:38pm:

You mean human/passenger space transportation? There still does not appear to be enough demand for a profitable proivate industry. It may never happen, given the impending oil shortage and carbon taxes.

the human transportation is a minor aspect.

Most of the  money is in launching commercial satellites. Currently the Russians have the cheapest launch technology at around
$2,000 per kilogram into low earth orbit.

The first Falcon 9 launch is quoting a cost of around $2900 per kilogram, and this price will fall as they get more contracts. The Russian Energia has a similar cost per kilogram, but the Proton is the lowest cost overall for higher Inclination orbits.

The payload for a Falcon 9 is 12,500kg. The Russian Proton can take 20,800kg.

Space X have one other launch vehicle at the design stage - The Falcon 9 Heavy, which will take 28,000kg. I don't think anyone has come up with a costing for it as yet.

So this is all run by the space agencies?

I suspect the monopolies might still be natural. Even if it is profitable, barriers to entry would prevent private startups.

Is there anything 'unnatural' preventing private groups from starting their own space transport program?

freediver wrote on May 23^rd, 2010 at 7:04pm:

Is there anything 'unnatural' preventing private groups from starting their own space transport program?

Not now -  at least in the United States.

Was there in the past?

freediver wrote on May 23^rd, 2010 at 7:12pm:

Was there in the past?

Yes there have been. It's only recently that it's been possible to license private spaceports.

The main barrier was national security, and nowadays, it's bureaucracy, but it's a very complicated story.

Here's a summary:
http://www.spacefuture.com/archive/barriers_to_space_enterprise.shtml