Some Questions

OK, I'm pretty sure privatizing the Shuttle is
hopeless (and pointless) by now, but just
hypothetically... What if some private enterprise did
take over the Shuttle, and instead of satellites, gave
joyrides to rich tourists? How many people could you
fit in there, and what would you charge for each seat
to cover expenses?

Also, if it were run by private enterprise, and every
nob and screw didn't have to have an excruciating
pedigree from the harvesting of the raw materials to
the finished product (as required by NASA), how much
less would it *really* cost to operate the shuttle?
What business is going to pay $1,000 for something
that costs $10?

BTW, I'm big on space tourism, mainly because that's
the only way I'll ever get to go. ;-)

Cheers,
Brook

> --- In ssi_list@... darkstar
> >
*snip*
> > Can any of these problems be fixed be a
> redesign or is the
> > shuttle hopeless?
>
> The shuttle is hopeless. They floated the idea of
> privatizing it,
> but unless a company got a guaranteed stream of
> business from NASA,
> they'd go bankrupt lickety-split trying to launch
> satellites with
> the shuttle.
>
> > > About $2 billion each.
> >
*snip*