[Telepathic Intruder]

many current customers of launch services, including operators of commercial satellites, aren’t particularly price sensitive

I would assume that includes mostly government rather than commercial enterprises. What competitive company is not interested in the bottom line? Government is probably where private space companies get most of their funding, however.

[Vince Ferrer]

I would assume that includes mostly government rather than commercial enterprises. What competitive company is not interested in the bottom line? Government is probably where private space companies get most of their funding, however.

Government has been almost the exclusive customer, along with communications companies, because they are the ones who can afford it. Bring down the price, and new applications will open up. There are also efforts to radically bring down the price of satellites. For instance, there is an effort to bring global wifi access through a satellite constellation. Think of what that could do for robotics, and freedom of speech. I would like global Wifi for journalism that can't be censored. Asteroid mining would become practical. There are a world of applications that would open up.

[Jonty30]

I think that reflects commercial enterprises as well, at least to some extent.

If you’re going to pay millions to launch a satellite into orbit, it’s probably more important to have a successful launch than it is to scrimp on a few bucks.