🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1993Jan7.180422.3473@iti.org> aws@iti.org (Allen W. Sherzer) writes:
>In article <1993Jan7.161638.6125@cerberus.ulaval.ca> yergeau@phy.ulaval.ca (Francois Yergeau) writes:
>
>>>Commercial launch services cost the government 30% to 50% less then when
>>>government buys and operates the system itself. It is therefore very clear
>>>that doing otherwise would be very beneficial.
>
>>This has never been demonstrated for manned spaceflight, but may very
>>well be.  
>
>So what is so special about human space flight?

The market, for one thing.  Spin off shuttle to the private sector, and
you're likely to get at most one provider, and one buyer (NASA).  Not
my idea of a free, competitive market where cost savings could be
realized.  By contrast, the commercial launch market has many buyers
and a few more or less subsidized sellers, so there's competition,
incentive to invest, etc.

>Do you actually believe that Shuttle is the best that can be done?

No!  Where did you get this idea?

>>But didn't I read not long ago that MacDD would not operate DC?  Who would?
>
>I understand that American Airlines has indicated some interest. Why
>not them?

Why not, indeed.  Do I get 26000 frequent flyer miles for each orbit? :)

-- 
Francois Yergeau (yergeau@phy.ulaval.ca) |  De gustibus et coloribus
Centre d'Optique, Photonique et Laser    |  non disputandum
Departement de Physique                  |          -proverbe scolastique
Universite Laval, Ste-Foy, QC, Canada    |