Date: 2 Aug 87 08:27:17 GMT
From: ssc-vax!eder@beaver.cs.washington.edu  (Dani Eder)
Subject: Re: Cost of 747 vs. Shuttle

In article <3423@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>, palmer@tybalt.caltech.edu (David Palmer) writes:
> In article <1354@ssc-vax.UUCP> eder@ssc-vax.UUCP (Dani Eder) writes:
> >According to NASA's 1988 budget estimate, the replacement orbiter
> >will cost $2.1 billion in 1987 dollars.
> 
> I just heard a blipnews item that said that a new shuttle had been approved
> to be built by Rockwell for $1.2G
> 
> 		David Palmer
> 		palmer@tybalt.caltech.edu

That report refers to a contract dollar value that Rockwell International
received recently.  In prior years, NASA purchased 'structural spares'
in case an orbiter got dinged up real bad.  These parts, which cost
$300 million total, consist of a forward fuselage (crew cabin in english),
mid fuselage (cargo bay), aft fuselage (engine compartment), and a set
of wings.  Put these together and you have all the primary structure
for Orbiter 105.  The new contract Rockwell got is to buy all the
other parts (tiles, life support, cargo bay doors, etc., etc.

Part not included in this order are: 3 Space Shuttle Main Engines,
Remote Manipulator Arm, Space Suits, other crew equipment detachable
from orbiter, and a replacement for the payload that was onboard the
Challenger.  This is because of the NASA bookkeeping system.  These other
parts are managed by different NASA centers, and appear as different
line items in the budget.

Dani Eder/Advanced Launch System/Boeing/ssc-vax!eder