Jim Kingdon wrote:
For instance; SS1's current demonstrated performance barely matches
the X-1 (nearly fifty years ago), and in it's final form will barely
match the X-15 (over forty years ago). Simple bald facts, but
embarrassing to the 'four legs/two legs' mindset.

Ah, but much of this debate is about changing the figures of merit
away from performance and towards measures such as cost per flight,
reliability (only demonstrable with large numbers of flights),
turnaround time between flights, size of ground crew, etc.

These are important metrics, I agree. But let's not allow that to
change focus from the basic facts; without performance those other
metrics are meaningless as there won't be a company flying them.

D.
--
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