Space Tourist Standards

Snuffleupagus writes: "I found an interesting story at cnn.com about NASA's new standards for civilian space travel. It looks like if you have a history of drinking, lying and cheating you won't be going into space anytime soon, no matter how much money you have. Looks like I'll be stuck here on Earth for awhile." The guidelines for future space tourists are on NASA's site.

Comments

Profiling

[Toby Truman]

What's next? People who "look" Middle Eastern can't go into space in case they fly shuttles into the Galactic Trade Center? Who is NASA to start calling the shots like this?

And more interestingly, will they hold up once space is commercialized?

Re:No vodka for you

[Karen_Frito]

I'd rather have a russian of any flavor than a bigoted /. reader. Asshole.

The future is here, only certain folks need apply

[maggard]

Y'know, I know a lot of great folks who dreamt of being Astronauts. They studied hard, went to prestigious schools and got degrees in all sorts of relevant things and have done amazing things - but lots of them realized that they would never be allowed to fly into space.

Y'see, those are America's "Heros" - they're to be "better" then the rest of us. Sure they're no longer white guys with buzzcuts but those folks are still the roll-models and still in control of the process. Women are now welcomed, a few non-Christians, even visible minorities, but that's it.

Nobody with an expressed political opinion contrary to the prevailing one. Nobody who is not from a mainstream religion or safely disinterested. And particularly nobody who isn't heterosexual or presumptively so. Nope, can't let them folks into space, they're just not, well, trustworthy, could upset some bible-belt politician, set a bad example, look like we, well, *condoned* such things.

So yeah, lots of my friends lost their dreams. They've done other things - one designs upgrades to the main engines, another does relevant medical research on astronauts, others have designed payloads or taken various support positions. A couple have watched colleagues go up on missions and known why they weren't candidates, that they were "unacceptable" because of who they loved.

So now its official: There are guidelines that, without spelling it out, make it clear who is to be allowed to officially build the future. Our Hero's are to be safe, non-controversial straight folks; apparently that is to be the American Way. The future is here, only certain folks need apply.