But, you have to admit these experiments point the way of the
future. Thuis could prove *very* interesting from an economic-
marketing point of view...

Lets assume for a moment cost of materials falls, precipitously - as
they will of course. Lets assume the costs of these materials falls below
the cost of traditional materials, as I think they will. This then potentially

makes the whole cost of a decent telescope fall, say preciitously. How
would this impact the economics of telescope sales. The answer is quite
simple.

The current cost or even higher costs (due to inflation) could not be
justified on the basis of materials and labour alone. Another formula
would have to be sought. That formula would have to rely on some
premise in the supplier-consumer relationship not previously exploited.

I believe that premise will be: "we supply people *telescopes* -
telescopes are *rare*! Telescopes represent a *rare opportunity*.

The same (bogus) premise is now being slipped in to justify other
commercial transactions, and people buy it. It could become the
justification for the monetary costs of telescopes in the future, after
materials and labour have slipped to a all time low.

Kerry





Roger Hamlett wrote:

"Mike Maxwell" wrote in message
...
An article at http://www.ljworld.com/section/kunews/story/192798 talks
about a prototype telescope whose mirror is made of composites. The 16"
telescope (unclear exactly what they're talking about, but it appears to
include the mirror, some kind of mirror mount, and the truss tube, all
in what I take to be a Cassegrain configuration) weighs 20 pounds. It
was built by Kansas University, San Diego State University, Dartmouth
College, and Composite Mirror Applications in Tucson.

Apparently it's a prototype for larger telescopes--the next one will be
a one meter mirror. But if someone started making this sort of
telescope for amateurs... Of course, I suppose the cost of materials
would outweight (sorry for the pun) any savings from the construction
method.

An earlier story (before they built the prototype) is at
http://www.ljworld.com/section/archive/story/148016. And
http://www.physics.ku.edu/facilities.../specsfin.html is a rfp for
the one meter scope.
I think you have 'hit the nail on the head', with the cost of materials
'outweighing' any savings.
The obvious design idea, is to keep weights down, and distortions from the
weight down, on larger scopes. I'd doubt if the design is
economic/practical for scopes any smaller than the prototype, and even on
this, if produced in quantity, is still likely to be more expensive than a
simple 'glass' and carbon fibre tube design...

Best Wishes