Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!gatech!prism!ccoprmd
From: ccoprmd@prism.gatech.EDU (Matthew DeLuca)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: Access to Space
Message-ID: <31557@hydra.gatech.EDU>
Date: 18 Jun 91 21:47:18 GMT
References: <1991Jun18.172719.26033@sequent.com> <1991Jun18.182934.17996@iti.org> <1991Jun18.195748.27968@sequent.com> <1991Jun18.210350.28925@iti.org>
Organization: The Dorsai Grey Captains
Lines: 22

In article <1991Jun18.210350.28925@iti.org> aws@iti.org (Allen W. Sherzer) writes:
[In reply to Nick Szabo]

>Communication satellites are NOT self sustaining because they only
>pay incrimental launch costs. This is true for both the US and all
>world providers.

Well, depends on your point of view.  From the perspective of the companies
launching the satellites, the (IMHO the appropriate point of view) the 
satellites are indeed 'self-sustaining' (is this another term for  
profitable?) since they produce more revenue over their lifetimes than it
costs them to build and launch.  This is practically a tautology, since 
companies would not be in the comsat business were this not true.

Now, if you take into account all the 'hidden' costs behind the launching
of the satellite, are you saying that the comsats would no longer be 
worth launching?  
-- 
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_