Like 50% of SpaceXs initial development came from tax payer money.

The government was a customer. That’s very different from the government giving a research grant.

That’s like saying 25% of Exxon’s development came from tax payer money because the government uses a shitload of oil.

	▲	qlte an hour ago \| parent [-]
		A more accurate analogy would be giving contracts to Exxon back before they had ever found or drilled a single oil well, as their primary source of revenue to subsidize their R&D and learning curve, in the hope that they would eventually be able to supply the government with needed oil, and ultimately succeeded to become a key supplier.