Is the "Airmail" Era of Space Here?

On 12 Nov 96 15:54:25 GMT, in a place far, far away,
(Gregg Germain) made the phosphor on my monitor
glow in such a way as to indicate that:

Rand Simberg ) wrote:

: Sometimes. Are you a person with money to invest? If not, then I
: repeat, there is no need to convince you.

I see. So there's you, Fred Smith, and investors. You need
no one else eh?

No, we also need customers in general. But we can probably manage
without you g.

: But to the degree that that processing time includes transportation,
: the total time will be reduced, which may be of value to some
: customers, if not to you. If there were really nothing to this, why
: would Fred Smith be interested?

Ask Fred why the bulk of computer components, cars, wheat and
anything else that's shipped intercontinentally is shipped by boat and
NOT that MUCH faster VERY mature technology called Airplanes?

And ask him how a rocket boosted container is any different?

The bulk doesn't matter. All that matter is that there is enough to
make the business go.

: The only way rocket delivery will improve things is if you can make
: it cheaper than airplane delivery.

: Data?

We ship everything by boat and not airplane because it's too
expensive to ship it by airplane even though airplanes are much faster
(by a factor of 100).

Now you're engaging in hyperbole. We don't "ship everything by boat
and not airplane." If that were true, there would not be market for
747-100 freighters. But in fact, such a market is quite vibrant. Do
you know what one of the major commodities shipped by air is? (Hint,
it will get you out of trouble with your wife or GF).

So the only thing left to you and Fred are highly specialized small
sized, extremely expensive items. Do you think there's enough of a
market there to justify the cost?

I don't agree with your premise, and I don't know whether or not there
is enough market, but I don't assume, a priori, as you seem to, that
there is not, and neither, apparently, does Fred, whose acumen in such
matters I regretfully have more confidence in than your own.

Just because Fred is interested, does that make the idea right?

No, but it does make me think that there may be something to it. What
are your credentials for an opinion on such matters?

BTW, I apologize for my late replies--I've been wandering around on
the Hill for the past week, and am just catching up on my messages.