[gurps] Space Transport Costs at TL10

[Onno Meyer]

I have the first draft of a TL10 shuttle with a 20-ton payload 
for $3M. The maintenance rules in VE are very generalized, not
for daily reentry, and the more specific rules in GT are only 
for that background (with CG and reactionless thrusters), but 
I guesstimate the cost is below $40,000 per launch, i.e. less 
than $1 per pound. 

Larger shuttles will have a slightly better payload ratio and 
divide the 'fixed' costs of crew and avionics on more payload,
but costs won't drop by an order of magnitude. Yet 10% saving
here and 10% saving there matter during daily competition, so
I'm wondering how large I can go. 1,000 tons? 10,000 tons? 
100,000 tons? Once the ground pressure reaches Extremely High,
the rules make no difference between 15,001 lb. per sf and 
150,001 lb. per sf, but the real world should ...