Slashdot Mirror
Regulations Could Delay or Prevent Space Tourism
schwit1 writes "This report explains how Virgin Galactic space tourists could be grounded by federal regulations. From the article: 'Virgin Galactic submitted an application to the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation in late August 2013, says Attenborough. The office, which goes by the acronym AST, has six months to review the application, meaning an approval may come as early as February. Industry experts, however, say that may be an overly optimistic projection. "An application will inevitably be approved, but it definitely remains uncertain exactly when it will happen," says Dirk Gibson, an associate professor of communication at the University of New Mexico and author of multiple books on space tourism. "This is extremely dangerous and unchartered territory. It's space travel. AST has to be very prudent," he says. "They don't want to endanger the space-farers or the public, and they can't let the industry get started and then have a Titanic-like scenario that puts an end to it all in the eyes of the public.""
Oh, like the Titanic stopped boat traveling, right ?
Sounds like a good way to drive privatized space travel to another country.
Just like cruise ships are registered all over the world, typically in countries with fewer regulations, whats to stop these space tourism companies from doing the same thing. If you can pay $100,000 or whatever for a quick trip into space, kicking in another $700 for airfare shouldn't be a deal breaker.
"Hey guys! I just went to Paris! I stayed in the plane the whole time and flew over it and came back!
People take balloon and helicopter rides, cruises, etc, just to sight-see. There are routine 747 flights over Antarctica which never land there, sight-seeing only through little airliner windows.
Science is all about firing a drunk pig out of a cannon just to see what happens.
An empty deadly vacuum is not that much of a destination, you know?
It is when it's a gallery that holds one singularly fine blue object on full display.
Plus, weightlessness.
Frankly I don't agree with anything you are saying.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
the day people stop clapping their hands just because the spacecraft takes off without blowing up on the launchpad.
People clap because its fucking awesome.
"His name was James Damore."