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From: space@ucbvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Joy rides
Message-ID: <8601291424.25255@ur-seneca.rochester.arpa>
Date: Wed, 29-Jan-86 09:24:07 EST
Article-I.D.: ur-senec.8601291424.25255
Posted: Wed Jan 29 09:24:07 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Feb-86 02:29:15 EST
References: <8601222243.AA04061@s1-b.arpa>
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: U of Rochester, CS Dept
Lines: 25

In article <8601222243.AA04061@s1-b.arpa> you write:
>... Supposing you could go into
>space.... not into orbit, but just out of the atmosphere for 10 minutes to an
>hour, how much would you be willing to pay? You'd experience zero G, the
>launch, the blackness of space, and really see the Earth. Would this be just as 
>hard (difficult, costly, etc) as achieving orbit? In my opinion $10 per ticket
>would make it as popular as Disneyland, and $100 would cause most people to
>forget it.
>
>Comments on your trade-off price direct to me (I'll post a summary).

You could avoid the costs of getting the vehicle to the exact orbital
postion, but the amount of fuel you would save wouldn't be that much.
Maybe doing a piggy-back launch from a 747 would be a win on that count.
As far as the price goes, if you could do it for $1000 a ticket and come
out ahead you would impress a lot of people.  You would also still be 
likely to be booked for years, price notwithstanding.  The "space camps"
are doing pretty brisk business, and they don't even get you out of the
atmosphere.  As a comparison of other successfull rides, consider that 
a balloon ride costs around $100 around here, a helicopter ride of 10 min.
costs around $20, a plane ticket across the US costs $500 (or if you cut
the frills and pack 'em in there, $140).  Sure, most people would forget
it at $1000, but if .1% were still willing, you would have enough business
to keep you busy for a long time.
Nemo