SpaceX isn&#x27;t a charity. It exists to profit, even if it is funded by investors who are willing to accept <i>not</i> profiting in the short term to build the business to the point where it can operate profitably.<p>Now, in order to profit, it has to differentiate itself from incumbents somehow, and the opportunity it is built around to do that is regarding efficiencies that allow it to offer launch services at lower costs.  But, it is  competing directly with ULA for business, as a simple matter of concrete fact.