Xref: utzoo sci.space:31876 rec.video.satellite:914
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From: ccoprmd@prism.gatech.EDU (Matthew DeLuca)
Newsgroups: sci.space,rec.video.satellite
Subject: Re: Access to Space
Message-ID: <31548@hydra.gatech.EDU>
Date: 18 Jun 91 19:22:29 GMT
References: <1991Jun17.165036.6816@iti.org> <1991Jun17.220510.15128@sequent.com> <31516@hydra.gatech.EDU> <1991Jun18.172719.26033@sequent.com>
Followup-To: sci.space
Organization: The Dorsai Grey Captains
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In article <1991Jun18.172719.26033@sequent.com> szabo@sequent.com writes:
>In article <31516@hydra.gatech.EDU> ccoprmd@prism.gatech.EDU (Matthew DeLuca) writes:

>>Communications satellites are a pretty loose defintion of 'industry'[...]

>Interesting.  This ("loosely" defined :-) self-sustaining industry is $6 
>billion per year. The proposed El Dorado platinum mining would be $3
>billion per year.  CNN, MTV, News Corp., TV network communications, direct 
>broadcast TV and radio, Ted Turner, Rupert Murdoch, international telephone 
>calls, data communications, wire services, the international legs of
>USENET, etc.  Not terribly impressive.

Communications satellites are a service.  The service sector of the 
economy does not create signifigant real wealth, so I don't consider it 
a very impressive industry.  The only real industry involved is planted
solidly on the ground, in building the rockets, satellites, and transmission
and receiving stations.

Granted, that is good; it is a net benefit to the national economy.  But 
to call it a 'self-sustaining industry' is akin to your last abuse of the 
English language, calling a rockhunt in Antarctica a 'manned asteroid 
sample-return mission'.  Subtle abuse of the language is rapidly placing 
your name alongside that of my two favorite sci.space demagogues, William
Baxter and Jim Bowery.  Entertainment value, nothing more.

-- 
Matthew DeLuca                   
Georgia Institute of Technology      "I'd hire the Dorsai, if I knew their
Office of Information Technology      P.O. box."  - Zebadiah Carter,
Internet: ccoprmd@prism.gatech.edu    _The Number of the Beast_