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Comment by ctdonath | Hacker News Reader

While watching today’s launch, occurred to me the ratio of paying-client launches to Starlink launches is [whatever it is]. Profit margins on paid launches must be high, maybe amazing, to support so many Starlink launches.

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They've also been raising money ($850M in February) so they don't necessarily have to be using profit from paid launches.

Does SpaceX really have any capital constraints? I'd assume that in the current environment they can essentially raise/borrow unlimited capital just on Musk's brand name.

Just based on their reusable rockets, government contracts and potential they can borrow unlimited capital... Musk is an added bonus (that can also likely fund it himself fully)

That things that's clever is that it's a great way to test the limits of their refurbished boosters. A paying customer might be unhappy if SpaceX uses their launch vehicle to push the limits of minimal maintenance and reusability. But for their own payloads, that's not a big deal. Especially since if there is an oopsie, the Starlink payloads are much more easily replaced since they're mass produced

Starlink should make tons of money soon.

These launch costs are investments.

They won't.. It's a product that's only remotely viable in remote locations. So Australia, Canada and US. Most of the rest of the world has no need for it

Seriously? Unless Europe is "most of the world", I think you're quite mistaken.

Join me in rural Brazil, for example!

I know parts of Europe which would definitely benefit from Starlink. There are plenty of rural areas even in the most well-off EU countries with shitty internet.

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