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Re:NASA has selected SpaceX for GOES-U mission by joshjdr on Sunday September 12, 2021 @10:15AM (#28501342)
Cue the BO complaint department…
Re:NASA has selected SpaceX for GOES-U mission by Tuna-Fish on Sunday September 12, 2021 @11:00AM (#28501759)
BO is currently legally unable to compete in this contract.

GOES is a series of ~$½B weather satellites. For large, expensive sats like this, NASA has and established process of purchasing launch services, and to compete for them you have to prove and certify the safety of your rocket before you can apply. IIRC this launch requires LSP category 2 "medium risk" certification, which requires having successful past launches. Since BO has never launched anything to orbit, they cannot compete.

The entity likely to contest this award is ULA, because they are the one other American company who would have been capable of launching this payload. Note that doing so would not be in any way notable -- high-value government contracts are almost contested by default, just because why wouldn't you when it costs so little to do and there is $150M on the line.

Re:NASA has selected SpaceX for GOES-U mission by GuuD on Sunday September 12, 2021 @11:18AM (#28501927)
They voluntarily withdrew their bid, because all 29 of the remaining Atlas 5 rockets (not built afaik, just planned and have engines ready in storage somewhere in Alabama) are already assigned to customers.
Re:NASA has selected SpaceX for GOES-U mission by gonesilent on Monday September 13, 2021 @12:00AM (#28507745)
Bezos also buying some of the rockets for his Amazon prime from low Earth orbit took out 3.
Re:NASA has selected SpaceX for GOES-U mission by kevin_thibedeau on Sunday September 12, 2021 @11:24AM (#28502002)
ULA has fully booked the last of Atlas and will have no track record on Vulcan if it's even ready before U launches.
Re:NASA has selected SpaceX for GOES-U mission by nexuist on Sunday September 12, 2021 @12:48PM (#28502712)
Vulcan depends on the BE-4 engines from BO, so this is basically just a low stakes staring contest until then.
Re:NASA has selected SpaceX for GOES-U mission by whoknowswhat11 on Sunday September 12, 2021 @12:06PM (#28502339)
That hasn't stopped them complaining about spaceX before.

They tried to block SpaceX access to the 39A launch pad in Florida (Blue Origin claimed they would have a HUMAN rated orbital class vehicle shortly ready to go).

That gave rise to the first long callout I think from Elon -

"(Blue Origin) has not yet succeeded in creating a reliable suborbital spacecraft, despite spending 10 years in development," Musk told Space News. "If they do somehow show up in the next five years with a vehicle qualified to NASA's human rating standards that can dock with the Space Station, which is what Pad 39A is meant to do, we will gladly accommodate their needs. Frankly, I think we are more likely to discover unicorns dancing in the flame duct." - Elon Musk - 2013

SpaceX won that fight.

SpaceX is offering starlink services to folks. Bezos/Amazon has been complaining nonstop about incomplete applications needing to be rejected - ironically despite not having even provided options for how they will be launching their sats.

Obviously on the HLS award, the BO landed payload was pathetic, the rocket totally unproven (and no where to be seen), and the price much higher. Reality is if you include ideas like re-using the (pressure tested) tanks of the starship after landing, SpaceX is landing a huge mass and volume.

And the list goes on.

I have no idea why Bezos and company don't just focus on doing their own thing and getting some success there. Do a small sat orbital launch vehicle maybe just to get something going?

Re:NASA has selected SpaceX for GOES-U mission by sebazzz on Sunday September 12, 2021 @11:44AM (#28502172)
Yes, this would probably have been an Atlas V or Vulcan Centaur launch. SpaceX seems finally be able to market the Falcon Heavy - after long no news about it.

There are now actually quite some flights waiting! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_Heavy#Launches_and_payl...

Re:NASA has selected SpaceX for GOES-U mission by panick21 on Sunday September 12, 2021 @12:25PM (#28502522)
Falcon Heavy actually already has a bunch of launches planned.