SLS vs Falcon: A Mass Value Analysis

Comparing the two rockets on a fair basis, is NASAs new Moon rocket a cost efficient solution?

The first flight of SLS has been a success - it sent the Orion capsule on its trajectory towards the Moon and started a mission which has been a roaring success. However, for many people the SLS represents a waste of resources, and it is suggested that the same mission could have been accomplished with a more economical commercial solution. It is difficult to make such comparisons, as there is no direct competitor to SLS that is flying. However, I believe I have a rigorous way to do this.

The specific question I will be asking is “How economical would it be to perform the Artemis mission with Falcon rockets”. In the future it would probably be better to compare SLS to Starship/Super Heavy, as they are more similar in size and payload capability - but SLS has for the time being an unassailable advantage over Starship in that is has actually flown a mission. From the point of view of space development, all rockets that fly successfully are categorically better than those that never fly. …