[josh-wrale]

Manufacturing those items in orbit and/or on the moon might reduce their cost. Cheap to-orbit rates lessen barriers to that sort of technology. Transporting raw materials to orbit would increase the efficiency of the to-orbit trip by increasing cargo density.

[huxley]

Wouldn't higher cargo density be more of a benefit if launch costs are high?

[josh-wrale]

Indeed. Raw materials in space won't be of great use without in-orbit manufacturing infrastructure. Cheap to-orbit begets economically realistic in-orbit manufacturing begets need for raw materials at high densities in orbit.