Re: commercial uses of the Dtick and the Heavy Lifter


Henry Spencer wrote:
> In article <1128364904.375605.23280@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> Ed Kyle <edkyle99@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >A closer look shows that the two-stage Stick would
> >only be able to do a bit more than 7 tonnes to GTO
> >(I came up with 7.2 tonnes)...
>
> Do note that unless it has a *lot* more payload than commercial launchers,
> or is unique in some other significant way, it is illegal for NASA to
> attempt to market it commercially or to subsidize an attempt by a NASA
> contractor to do so. NASA is specifically forbidden, by post-Challenger
> law, to compete with commercial launch providers (even for its own needs,
> never mind on the open market).

NASA couldn't do it, but the agency could probably
"commercialize" the system by handing it off to a
commercial operator. Sure, its development would
have been subsidized, and it would be easy to argue
that its operation was at least partially subsidized
(NASA would have to charge a fee for use of launch
facilities), but show me a commercial GTO launch
vehicle that isn't or hasn't been subsidized (front
or back door) in some way.

- Ed Kyle

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