ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems) (02/04/86)
In article <1458@bbncc5.UUCP>, mfidelma@bbncc5.UUCP (Miles Fidelman) writes: > > How about either: > > - a national lottery > - a stock corporation - sell shares on the public exchanges, use > the money to buy a new orbiter - lease the orbiter to paying > customers on a flight-by-flight basis - the venture might not > fully recoup its investment, but I'll bet a lot of individuals > would like to own a piece of a shuttle, and some of the corporations > and governments that fly satellites would like to put up another > orbiter (this might also work as a limited partnership - pass back > the losses, etc.) > > Miles Fidelman (mfidelman@bbncc5.ARPA) Is there any reason (technical, legal, or otherwise) other than financial why a private company could not go to Rockwell and order a shuttle? Does NASA own the 'copyright'? I would be willing to buy stock in a startup company doing space ventures. Are there any? -- E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything.
wesb@teklds.UUCP (Wes Bruning) (02/07/86)
> In article <1458@bbncc5.UUCP>, mfidelma@bbncc5.UUCP (Miles Fidelman) writes: > > > > How about either: > > > > - a national lottery > > - a stock corporation - sell shares on the public exchanges, use > > the money to buy a new orbiter - lease the orbiter to paying > > customers on a flight-by-flight basis - the venture might not > > fully recoup its investment, but I'll bet a lot of individuals > > would like to own a piece of a shuttle, and some of the corporations > > and governments that fly satellites would like to put up another > > orbiter (this might also work as a limited partnership - pass back > > the losses, etc.) > > > > Miles Fidelman (mfidelman@bbncc5.ARPA) > > Is there any reason (technical, legal, or otherwise) other than > financial why a private company could not go to Rockwell and order a > shuttle? Does NASA own the 'copyright'? I would be willing to buy > stock in a startup company doing space ventures. Are there any? > -- > E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems > > This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything. During a security briefing 2 weeks ago, my dad learned that the plans for the shuttle were available for $10,000. This is particularly interesting in light of the fact that the first customer to come up with the bucks was the Soviet Union. I think that the barn door has subsequently been locked - who knows who might have the horse now!! Kadaffy Enterprises?!?!