Jeff Findley wrote:
Funny thing is, with launch costs dropping, payload costs will likely
drop as well.

No disagreement here. We should be paying more attention at the low end of
what SpaceX is doing (like Falcon 1e) to see if that starts to draw paying
customers. But maybe it won't because the real $$$ is in GEO not LEO?

But Jeff, if you're looking for irony, how 'bout the idea that all this
commercial stuff is hitting the market just as the cost of petroleum is about
to skyrocket. So what will it matter all these wonderful hardware cost
reductions if the cost of RP1 jumps up to the consumer equivalent of $4 per
gallon gas?

I know, in the total scheme of things the fuel cost is pretty small until you
get into the exotic fuels, but I just think it is "somewhat" ironic.

Buy your RP-1 in bulk now and save up! They make the equivalent of 'STA-BIL'
(tm) for RP-1??? :-)

Dave