Why are government agencies typically slow adopters of disruptive technology like Starship?

Answer

Until the technology is proven reliable and standardized enough to manage regulatory risk.

Governmental bodies, by their operational nature which involves stewardship of public resources and adherence to strict safety protocols, are inherently cautious regarding unproven concepts. They tend to adopt disruptive, cutting-edge technologies only after those innovations have successfully passed rigorous proving stages. Before a technology like Starship can be widely integrated, government agencies must ensure it is both demonstrably reliable for critical missions and sufficiently standardized to meet regulatory requirements, thereby managing the immense regulatory risk associated with potential large-scale failures.

Why are government agencies typically slow adopters of disruptive technology like Starship?

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