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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!cca!ima!haddock!stevel
From: stevel@haddock.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: space financing - some questions - (nf)
Message-ID: <19@haddock.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 30-Dec-83 23:41:55 EST
Article-I.D.: haddock.19
Posted: Fri Dec 30 23:41:55 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 1-Jan-84 02:04:32 EST
Lines: 21

#R:utcsstat:-158900:haddock:16000005:000:1114
haddock!stevel    Dec 30 10:25:00 1983

Boeing has consistantly shown it's desire and willingness to put billions
of dollars into major development projects in order to be at the leading
edge of the air transport industry. The 747 is suppose to have cost 3 to
5 billion dollars. Both the L-1011 and the DC-10 cost over 5 billion each
to develop and produce the first prototypes. In contrast the shuttle cost
10 billion, which while a hell of a lot of money is comparativly not such
a staggering figure.

It seems plausably that in 20 years or less, when space factories start
to become a standard part of buisness, that Boeing will undertake the
production of a space vehicle. The shuttle will be getting old and while
NASA may get funding for a new vehicle it seems likely that there will be
a hole in the market for some size of space vehicle. It is also plausible
that another major space contractor, like Rockwell or Grumman, will try
to step into the lead when the market opens up. This is less likly as
these companies prefer to stick to the straight low risk contracting.

Steve Ludlum, decvax!yale-co!ima!stevel, {ucbvax|ihnp4}!cbosgd!ima!stevel