A technical question re crypto technologies: DES and RSA

["Herb Lin" <hlin@nas.edu>]

Folks -- can I get your input on the following technical questions?

When implemented with "ordinary" hardware and software, I understand that
RSA is very slow compared to DES for "equivalent" levels of protection.
Question 1: How much slower?

I've heard the possibility exists of designing special purpose hardware
that would greatly speed up RSA.
Question 2: Please comment on the feasibility of this scheme.

thanks  herb