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1. kemote+(OP)[view] [source] 2026-02-02 23:12:16
It’s hard to estimate what Starship’s actual costs will be when it isn’t fully operational. I am finding estimates of $100 to $200 per kilogram and even as low as $10 per kilogram.

Let’s say the costs in 5 years do get as low as $15 per kilogram or about 2 orders of magnitude improvement in launch prices. That means a 200-ton payload Starship would cost $3,000 to launch.

Do you honestly believe that? The world’s largest rocket cost a total of $3,000 to launch?

replies(1): >>fooker+D1
2. fooker+D1[view] [source] 2026-02-02 23:19:57
>>kemote+(OP)
> Let’s say the costs in 5 years do get as low as $15 per kilogram or about 2 orders of magnitude improvement in launch prices. That means a 200-ton payload Starship would cost $3,000 to launch. Do you honestly believe that? The world’s largest rocket cost a total of $3,000 to launch?

You have missed three zeroes in this calculation ;)

15 per kg for a 200-ton payload is about 3 million$. That seems achievable, given that propellant costs are about 1-1.5 million.

replies(1): >>kemote+g6
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3. kemote+g6[view] [source] [discussion] 2026-02-02 23:41:59
>>fooker+D1
Ah yeah. 200 tons is 200,000 kilograms. Definitely way off there. That is an incredulous number.
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