[amsat-bb] OT - Launches in the future

["Ron Sparks AG5RS" <rlssat1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

My daughter and I just saw a Discovery channel news clip on space tourism
and it began a fun line of thought--

How much in Current Dollars will it cost for her to go to space when she
turns 50 (2032)?

Here is our logic:

A.  Current airlines are probably as efficient a transport system (in the
economic sense of efficiency) as you could reasonably expect from a well
developed commercial launch system in the next 30 years.

B.  The number of foot-pounds of energy required to orbit 120 lbs. is not
going to change (we believe in physics).

C.  A source of foot-pounds for orbital lifts that is cheaper than current
Jet-A is not likely due to a number of factors.

So here is the question -- how many miles in a 747-400 uses the same amount
of energy per person as an orbital launch of that person?

Our wild guess was that since a trip around the world currently costs about
$5,500, that using the above concepts she should be able to get a space trip
for that in 30 years.

If that were true AMSAT might be able to do a reasonable 60 Kg launch for
the same price.

Ron

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