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

lying

[NeMon'ess]

Lie? No NASA, I've never drank, cheated or lied in my life. Can I go into space now?

Space Nazis

[vapor2000]

No space for you!

The Future

[Toby Truman]

This applies just to the space station, it seems, not to space in general. The thing to remember is that NASA has no real authority over space -- It's just space, it doesn't belong to anyone. They *do* have authority, however, over the facilities that we put into space, so they get to call the shots on the space station.

Re:The Future

[Lumpy]

please correct that further... They can control the United states modules of the ISS. The Russians would get mighty pissed if the US space angency tries to tell them what they can do with their property...

This really only amounts to someone in NASA trying to justify their job and trying to make policy that is pretty much silly and un-warrented.

Re:The Future

[CrazyBrett]

The thing to remember is that NASA has no real authority over space -- It's just space, it doesn't belong to anyone.

I remember when we used to say that about the internet too.

Give it time.

No vodka for you

[SVDave]

(d) habitual use of intoxicating beverages to excess

Uh, yeah, we wouldn't want to have anyone who uses "intoxicating beverages to excess" to be on a space station with a bunch of Russians.

Rules out congress

[www.sorehands.com]

The NASA guidelines rule out most of congress, the senate, and or the last two presidents.

Congress may hold funding for NASA until there is an exception made for them.

Re:Rules out congress

[Tackhead]

> The NASA guidelines rule out most of congress, the senate, and or the last two presidents.

Better yet...

"and membership or sponsorship in organizations which adversely affect the public's confidence in the space station or its partners. "

...as I see it, it also disqualifies most of NASA ;-)

Re:Yep... These won't change...

[aardvarkjoe]

Well, of course. By the time you and I get in to space, the rules will have to have been changed. Otherwise we wouldn't be there. See?

NASA != Space

[seanellis]

Subject line says it all, really.

Commercial spacelines wouldn't be using NASA facilities anyway; they're too expensive.

everyone here won't be allowed to go....

[Em Emalb]

Other disqualifying traits: criminal, dishonest, infamous or notoriously disgraceful conduct; intentional false statement or fraud; habitual use of intoxicating beverages to excess; abuse of narcotics, drugs or other controlled substances; and....*drum roll please*.......

membership or sponsorship in organizations which adversely affect the public's confidence in the space station or its partners.

We have been saying for years that NASA is screwy...guess none of us will get to go.

Here's an interesting thing

[corvi42]

You can be disqualified for:
"membership or sponsorship in organizations which adversely affect the public's confidence in the space station or its partners."

Does that mean that a millionaire with a passion for space might be banned for... say... being a member of Greenpeace, because they might think badly of McDonell Douglas for its role as an arms manufacturer?

Maybe I'm being overly alarmist, but the implications that this clause can diqualify anyone who is even loosely related to anyone that does not wholeheartedly support large corporate power is a little disconcerting.

Re:Sorry Alabama

[ajm]

Rules out Bush too on all three counts. (And also Clinton (for the cheating))

Yes, another crazy idea

[mrroot]

I wonder how much additional money it would generate if the govt had a "lottery" for space travel instead of a you-pay-you-go type thing. I bet they could work it out to generate alot more money per space tourist that way, while giving us ordinary citizens a chance to go.