&gt; isn&#x27;t it crazy that manufacturing a single F-35 costs more than an entire satellite launch including support services?<p>Not IMHO: The launch is a single, controlled, predictable task; they can choose their exact launch time and location for optimal performance; have extensive quality control checks and engineering, a room full of support engineers, etc; the exact route and timing of the launch is carefully planned ahead of time, etc.<p>The plane has to handle every contingency of war: Take off from wherever and whenever needed, fly anywhere, refuel in mid-air, dodge enemies trying to kill it (can SpaceX or ULA do that?), destroy enemies trying to avoid it, return safely home, etc.