After a 9 year hiatus, the US is back in business. Thanks to the launch of the SpaceX Dragon capsule, named Endeavor, the US can stop hitching a ride on Russian rockets to reach the International Space Station. Since the shuttle was retired, US astronauts have been using Russia's space program as a taxi service for an increasingly expensive fee. What was a $20 million seat in 2007 had inflated to $81 million by 2016. That's what monopoly gets you. The price for SpaceX is going to be $55 million per astronaut, a bargain.
Next up, the SpaceX Starship! Or maybe something from Blue Origin. Or maybe Virgin Galactic. It is the dawning of a golden age in manned spaceflight.
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