High efficiency drives

From: Ian Woollard [mailto:ian.woollard@...]

I challenge you to find a commercial space project
where the incremental launch costs dominate.

You're probably right in thinking that I can't. But that might only be
because of the small scale of present space operations. In small scale
operations, R&D and other development costs are going to be comparable to
same for much larger projects, and will outweigh launch costs, because there
aren't really that many launches. But if we look at a project like SPS or
the building of orbital habitats, then launch costs will dominate. It's
then that use of space resources becomes attractive.

Regards,

Mike Combs

From:
Ian Woollard [mailto:ian.woollard@...]
I challenge you to find a commercial space project
where the incremental launch costs dominate.

You're probably right in thinking that I can't. But that might only be because of the small scale of present space operations. In small scale operations, R&D and other development costs are going to be comparable to same for much larger projects, and will outweigh launch costs, because there aren't really that many launches. But if we look at a project like SPS or the building of orbital habitats, then launch costs will dominate. It's then that use of space resources becomes attractive.
Regards,
Mike Combs