Technology
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I'm not too familiar with the politics behind all of this, especially around that time. My understanding is that it's mainly a difference in approach to development. NASA has to worry about appealing to politicians and the public. So they spend more time and money to make sure to get it right the first time.
SpaceX doesn't have that same kind of worry, so they can develop quickly and fly test vehicles often to learn quickly.
There's pros and cons to both sides imo, but that's why I think it makes more sense for NASA to use private launch providers while they focus more on the missions themselves.
since president nixon, there's been a well documented trend of gov't programs intentionally starved of federal resources, with the goal of justifying private industry taking over services those programs once provided themselves. spacex is probably the most modern manifestation of this trend.
those "pros and cons" are a false framing intended to steer your opinion away from the question of why nasa can't do this themselves anymore.
the last time nasa did this themselves, humanity got smartphones and modern medicine but when spacex does this, the only thing that happens is an epstein oligarch gets A LOT richer.