Quick mail BEFORE email? (by missle)

I was fascinated this week by a story in Bill Bryson's most recent book about how in 1959 the US trialled a new postal delivery system - the guided missle. The History of the US Postal Service describes it like this,

On June 8, 1959, in a move a postal official heralded as "of historic significance to the peoples of the entire world," the Navy submarine U.S.S. Barbero fired a guided missile carrying 3,000 letters at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station in Mayport, Florida. "Before man reaches the moon," the official was quoted as saying, "mail will be delivered within hours from New York to California, to Britain, to India or Australia by guided missiles."

Yes, you did read that right. Somebody actually thought that we could use missles to deliver our post. Now I am not the most technically minded but the idea of my mail whizzing over my head before it lands at the local post office in a cloud of smoke is an interesting image. For one thing, I am pretty glad I don't live next door - things might get a little interesting. Also, how would the price of stamps increase? 3,000 letters 'posted' using a 20 million dollar piece of technology - thats $6,666 per letter. And to think that someone else thought of a way to deliver these same pieces of mail free, instantly and right into our homes.

Now, if you did not like the person you were mailing - I suppose this brings a whole new meaning to how you can use 'hate mail'!