When it comes to flights for the former, the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft was the historical vessel of choice. All these factors make Starliner interesting for sure, but what makes it truly revolutionary is what it represents for the future of private spaceflight. With private spaceflight already a reality, the scope of these flights and their reach may now have just been heavily expanded. SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, for example, had an estimated R&D cost of $500 million. With India’s forthcoming Gaganyaan mission aiming to achieve the similar goal of crewed spaceflight, it would be wise to take note of the reactions of countries to Starliner’s launch.

Source: The Hindu June 23, 2024 11:31 UTC