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Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Private Space
Message-ID: <6125@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 5-Nov-85 18:54:51 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.6125
Posted: Tue Nov  5 18:54:51 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 5-Nov-85 18:54:51 EST
References: <8510291721.AA00286@s1-b.ARPA>, <333@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 21

> ...  After proving the new 
> technologies, we estimate it would cost Boeing $2.7 Billion to build
> a vehicle like the Phoenix, and that the first one off the assembly line
> would cost about $300 million (3 times a 747). 
> 
>      Considering that we can use existing manufacturing and assembly
> plants, with experienced people , whereas Pacific American would be
> starting from scratch, I find it doubtful they could build it for
> less than we can...

No offence to you personally or to Boeing, Dani, but the military and
space branches of major aerospace companies are incapable of building
anything cheaply.  Even when it can be, and should be, built cheaply.
They simply don't know how any more.

I agree, by the way, that Hudson's weight margin in particular makes
Phoenix a high-risk investment.  But I strongly suspect that if it can
be done at all, it can be done more cheaply than Boeing would do it.
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry