
I like this statement, though for my own reasons.  Cost comparisons depend
a lot on whether the two options are similar, and *then* it becomes very
revealing to consider what their differences are.  Can Soyuz launch the
Long Exposure Facility?  Course not.  Will the Shuttle take my television 
relay to LEO by year's end?  Almost certainly not, but the Russians are
pretty good about making space accessible on a tight schedule.

Comparing S and SS points up that there are TWO active space
launcher-and-work-platform resources, with similarities and differences.
Where they are in direct competition, we may get to see some market
economics come into play.

tombaker