Re: top ten reasons there'll be faster progress

In article <44a357e1.122775578@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Derek Lyons <fairwater@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Moreover, substantial suborbital operations will create the beginnings of
a supplier base for commercially-priced (as opposed to government-priced)
engines, guidance, materials, safety systems, etc...

It'll be interesting to see how far that effect goes - as most
potential operators seem to be mostly 'rolling their own'.

Most of them would *like* to be able to buy more of the parts and
subassemblies off the shelf, but are finding it difficult to do so.
But even with the industry in its embryonic state, we're seeing some
subcontracting, e.g. Frontier Astronautics doing attitude control for
Masten Space's rocket. If it becomes a competitive commercial business,
there'll be more of that.

And don't forget the "intangible subassemblies" (which I did forget...),
like insurance. One non-trivial side effect of the Rocket Racing League,
assuming it reaches takeoff :-), is that there'll soon be a substantial
number of independent owner-operators shopping for third-party-liability
insurance for rocket vehicles -- something that is currently hard to find
and can be a significant problem for startups.

For the
long term health of the industry, we need to follow the same path
virtually every other transport industry has followed - airframe
manufacturers need to be seperate from operators.

I was thinking more of subsystems than of entire airframes; the subsystem
market has the potential to be viable before the airframe market is. But
you're right in the longer term -- builder-operators should be special
cases, not the norm.

Some of the current airframe builders are willing to sell rather than
operate, and at least one would *prefer* to sell rather than operate.
--
spsystems.net is temporarily off the air; | Henry Spencer
mail to henry at zoo.utoronto.ca instead. | henry@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
.

Relevant Pages

  • Space Access Update #105 10/19/04
    ... - HR 3752 In Jeopardy - License To Fly, Or Death Of An Industry? ... Advanced Space Transportation division (FAA AST) to license low-cost ... The bill then went to the Senate Commerce Committee, ... its first major snag - a Senator from a state hosting a reusable rocket ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Query about high-performance design
    ... and am quite concerned about airframe failure. ... My first estimates suggest that this rocket will pull about 40G, ... Are there different types of tubing? ... I'm leaning towards reinforcing an existing phenolic tube, ...
    (rec.models.rockets)
  • Re: Query about high-performance design
    ... and am quite concerned about airframe failure. ... You have to decide if your fiberglass airframe will weigh ... >My first estimates suggest that this rocket will pull about 40G, ... >I'm leaning towards reinforcing an existing phenolic tube, ...
    (rec.models.rockets)
  • Re: Query about high-performance design
    ... > H650 or I700 motor system, and am quite concerned about airframe failure. ... > My first estimates suggest that this rocket will pull about 40G, ... Are there different types of tubing? ... > I'm leaning towards reinforcing an existing phenolic tube, ...
    (rec.models.rockets)
  • Re: Space Access Update #105 10/19/04
    ... Henry Vanderbilt wrote: ... > pitch, to the effect that this new industry has huge promise for the US, ... removing the regulatory risk of space ventures. ... Doug Jones, Rocket Plumber ...
    (sci.space.policy)