[snrplfth]

> Like everything behind their breakthroughs, which they had a few - including landing and turnaround times - is meant to enable the Mars mission. They've been explicit about this since day one.

It's not so much a rocket company with a Mars objective, it's a Mars cult with a rocketry front operation.

Somehow, people get the idea that they're "not really serious" about the one driving goal that they've never deviated from.

[jacquesm]

Who cares what their personal goals are as long as they keep moving the needle it is fine by me.

[TeMPOraL]

Whatever. Freedom of religious worship and all...

[snrplfth]

That's not a criticism. The Mars cult is a very good thing. For forty years, most space programs have been motivated by the burning urge to...uh...send some more people to Low Earth Orbit, I guess, and eke out marginal improvements on technology that never really changes.

The force of the idea of Mars keeps people focused on what really matters.