НАСА не "финансирует" Маска; НАСА "гарантирует" оплату запусков.
А это - очень серьезные гарантии.
Вот выдержка из Вики:
"As of May 2012, SpaceX had operated on total funding of approximately $1 billion in its first ten years of operation. Of this, private equity provided about $200M, with Musk investing approximately $100M and other investors having put in about $100M (Founders Fund, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, ...).[45] The remainder has come from progress payments on long-term launch contracts and development contracts. As of April 2012, NASA had put in about $400–500M of this amount, with most of that as progress payments on launch contracts.[46] By May 2012, SpaceX had contracts for 40 launch missions, and each of those contracts provide down payments at contract signing, plus many are paying progress payments as launch vehicle components are built in advance of mission launch, driven in part by US accounting rules for recognizing long-term revenue.[46]"
Из нее видно, что: $100М вложил Маск, $100М - другие инвесторы, и $400-500 - НАСА.
...И, поверьте, любая катастрофа на старте, при имеющемся контракте - это такая же проблема НАСА, как и проблема Маска... | 
