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From: wesb@teklds.UUCP (Wes Bruning)
Newsgroups: net.space,net.invest
Subject: Re: Buy an Orbiter?
Message-ID: <1606@teklds.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Feb-86 11:15:55 EST
Article-I.D.: teklds.1606
Posted: Fri Feb  7 11:15:55 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Feb-86 04:43:13 EST
References: <8602010203.AA01808@s1-b.arpa> <11643@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <1458@bbncc5.UUCP> <2742@amdahl.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 30
Xref: watmath net.space:5734 net.invest:1094

> In article <1458@bbncc5.UUCP>, mfidelma@bbncc5.UUCP (Miles Fidelman) writes:
> > 
> > How about either:
> > 
> > 	- a national lottery 
> > 	- a stock corporation - sell shares on the public exchanges, use
> > 	  the money to buy a new orbiter - lease the orbiter to paying
> > 	  customers on a flight-by-flight basis - the venture might not
> > 	  fully recoup its investment, but I'll bet a lot of individuals
> > 	  would like to own a piece of a shuttle, and some of the corporations
> > 	  and governments that fly satellites would like to put up another
> > 	  orbiter (this might also work as a limited partnership - pass back
> > 	  the losses, etc.)
> > 
> > Miles Fidelman (mfidelman@bbncc5.ARPA)
> 
> Is there any reason (technical, legal, or otherwise) other than
> financial why a private company could not go to Rockwell and order a
> shuttle?  Does NASA own the 'copyright'?   I would be willing to buy
> stock in a startup company doing space ventures.  Are there any?
> -- 
> E. Michael Smith  ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems
> 
> This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything.

During a security briefing 2 weeks ago, my dad learned that the plans for
the shuttle were available for $10,000.  This is particularly interesting in
light of the fact that the first customer to come up with the bucks was the
Soviet Union.  I think that the barn door has subsequently been locked - who
knows who might have the horse now!!  Kadaffy Enterprises?!?!