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US Draw Up Rules for Space Tourism
AsiNisiMasa writes "The BBC reports that the United States Federal Aviation Administration has drafted a report proposing some regulations regarding space tourism. Among the rules is a set of guidelines to prevent terrorists from gaining access to the space ships in order to use them as weapons. Many of the other regulations are similar to those regarding regular commercial flights, including safety advice precluding the flights. From the article: 'Space tourists should also be given pre-flight training to handle emergency situations such as a loss of cabin pressure or fire. However, the FAA has so far left any medical requirements in the hands of the tourist, who should decide themselves if they are fit to fly.' The final report will affect enterprises such as Sir Richard Branson's SpaceShipOne."
No kidding, just ask John Young on Apollo 16:
[In the following, John doesn't realize he still has a hot mike. Charlie is only faintly audible through John's mike and the following undoubtedly contains transcription errors.]
128:50:37 Young: I have the farts, again. I got them again, Charlie. I don't know what the hell gives them to me. Certainly not...I think it's acid stomach. I really do.
128:50:44 Duke: It probably is.
128:50:45 Young: (Laughing) I mean, I haven't eaten this much citrus fruit in 20 years! And I'll tell you one thing, in another 12 fucking days, I ain't never eating any more. And if they offer to sup(plement) me potassium with my breakfast, I'm going to throw up! (Pause) I like an occasional orange. Really do. (Laughs) But I'll be durned if I'm going to be buried in oranges.
From http://www.history.nasa.gov/alsj/a16/a16.debrief1. html
The third most important thing I have learned in life: Squeeze anything hard enough and it eventually makes a noise.
"Just where does US jurisdiction end?"
Well it doesn't end at the Antarctic for one...
Terrorists wouldn't bother with hijacking a space plane to do another 9/11 job for the following reasons:
1. Most of the mass of the space plane will be burned away just to reach its high altitude. And will most likely glide back to the Earth.
2. The space plane will, most likely, take off from some remote desert area (for now). The only way to reach any major landmarks would be to?... Turn on the rocket engine or take over the mothership.
3. I would expect that turning on the rocket engine at low altitutes means the space plane destroys itself from atmospheric friction (aka, burning up).
4. Even if terrorists did take over the mothership designed to drop the space plane once it reaches the critical altitude, I would hope either crew could jettison it so it couldn't be taken to any major landmark.
5. You could always install a remote control unit and have someone on the ground take over the flying in the event that someone should try to hijack the plane (until there are so many flights in one day that it becomes impossible).
Nope, regular non-stop flights are still the way to go, that is, if you can. I would think that the new world order is now, "Oh, did you say this is a hijacking?.... Let's roll everybody!" And great justice is dispensed to said terrorists by all the people on board. New world order demands that you have to assume you are dead the moment you get hijacked.
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I dare the terrorists to hijack this sig.