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Note, for all you "SpaceX and NASA are competitors" people, that the Red Dragon design study was something that NASA paid for.[1] SpaceX and NASA are are on the same side in reality. Only in magical internet flamewarland, carried out by people who don't do any of this for a living, are they in opposition.

[1]: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/2012001...

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It would make more sense to contrast SpaceX with ULA or any of the other rocketry startups. Whatever long-term plans SpaceX have aren't very relevant to the current supplier-contractor partnership that SpaceX and NASA share.

You point is correct, but SpaceX is competing directly with the SLS which according to Wikipedia is designed by NASA. I am under the impression that the ULA will produce the SLS, but after a quick search I can only find reference to ULA producing the upper stage (http://www.ulalaunch.com/united-launch-alliance-hosts-nasa.a...). NASA as a whole is not competing with SpaceX, but some parts of it are, unless "designed by" really just means "funded by".

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