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NOAA Requires License For Photos of the Earth

Posted by timothy on from the agressive-product-placement dept.

Teancum writes "In an interesting show of the level of regulations private spacecraft designers have to go through, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has demanded that American participants of the Google Lunar X Prize obtain a license if their spacecraft are 'capable of actively or passively sensing the Earth's surface, including bodies of water, from space by making use of the properties of the electromagnetic waves emitted, reflected, or diffracted by the sensed objects.' What prompted NOAA to ask for this license came from a visit by the XPrize staff to the NOAA offices in Maryland. What is going to happen when 'space tourists' bring their private cameras along for the ride?"

11 of 311 comments (clear)

  1. Absurd! by vivaoporto · · Score: 4, Funny

    As if RIAA and MPAA weren't enough, now this NOAA: Who's come next, AAA?

    1. Re:Absurd! by brxndxn · · Score: 4, Funny

      As if RIAA and MPAA weren't enough, now this NOAA: Who's come next, AAA?

      That's why I'm in AA.

      --
      --- We need more Ron Paul!
    2. Re:Absurd! by philspear · · Score: 5, Funny

      What the heck is the NOAA going to do to stop me from taking pictures from my spaceship? Try and arrest me, I'm in space, bitches!!!

  2. Naming rights by Enderandrew · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's the Budweiser Moon© now, they paid for the naming rights.

    --
    http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
  3. It's a privacy thing. by Shaitan+Apistos · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can totally understand this, If my Florida was flapping in the breeze I wouldn't want people taking snapshots either.

  4. Close your eyes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    That would seem to include eyesight. I guess everyone will need to fly blind.

  5. I say screw em by CrazyJim1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    What are they gonna do, shoot down your satellites? Doubtful. They have NO AA.

    --
    God spoke to me.
  6. Re:Secrecy to the nth absurd by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    it's not ridiculous at all.
    when you think about it, taking a photo of the earth from space isn't (conceptually) any different from walking into a store a stealing a CD.

  7. Re:On what grounds... by fastest+fascist · · Score: 3, Funny

    Same thing.

  8. Re:Notice from NOAA to Lunar X Prize Participants by jcwayne · · Score: 5, Funny

    I, for one, never welcomed our road to hell paving overlords.

    --
    Failure to follow this advice may result in non-deterministic behavior.
  9. Re:Notice from NOAA to Lunar X Prize Participants by yndrd1984 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Saying "if other people make money doing X, we're going to pass a law preventing you from doing X for free" never has good intentions.

    Of course it does! Outlawing designated drivers forces people to use taxis, which helps the economy. Only allowing only professional movers to take furniture in and out of houses prevents injuries to out-of-shape people. And of course, making every babysitter get registered as a state-certified child care provider would reduce the risk of harm to the children, and would also keep for-profit day cares in business, which means more jobs.

    See, nothing but good intentions!