U.S. Gov't releases proposed space tourism rules

Gov't releases proposed space tourism rules

Link to Associated Press article:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wir...1453523&page=1

Link to FAA Proposed Space Tourist Rules (PDF)
"Human Space Flight requirements for Crew and Space Flight
Participants"
http://www.faa.gov/regulations_polic...media/ai57.pdf


By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON Dec 29, 2005 — Thinking of spending that next vacation on
the moon or Mars or circling the Earth? Before liftoff, there's a list
of things the would-be "space flight participant" should know.

More than 120 pages of proposed rules, released by the government
Thursday, regulate the future of space tourism. This don't-forget list
touches on everything from passenger medical standards to preflight
training for the crew.

Before taking a trip that literally is out of this world, companies
would be required to inform the "space flight participant" known in
more earthly settings as simply a passenger of the risks. Passengers
also would be required to provide written consent before boarding a
vehicle for takeoff.

Legislation signed a year ago by President Bush and designed to help
the space industry flourish prohibits the Federal Aviation
Administration from issuing safety regulations for passengers and crew
for eight years, unless specific design features or operating
practices cause a serious or fatal injury.

"This means that the FAA has to wait for harm to occur or almost occur
before it can impose restrictions, even against foreseeable harm," the
proposal says. "Instead, Congress requires that space flight
participants be informed of the risks."

Physical exams for passengers are recommended, but will not be
required, "unless a clear public safety need is identified," the FAA
says in the proposed regulations.

Passengers also would have to be trained on how to respond during
emergencies, including the loss of cabin pressure, fire and smoke, as
well as how to get out of the vehicle safely.

Pilots, meanwhile, must have an FAA pilot certificate and be able to
show that they know how to operate the vehicle. Student or sport pilot
licenses would not qualify.

Each member of the crew must have a medical certificate issued within
a year of the flight, and a crew member's physical and mental state
must "be sufficient to perform safety-related roles," the rules say.

The FAA also would require each crew member to be trained to ensure
that the vehicle will not harm the public, such as if it had to be
abandoned during a flight emergency.

The legislation that Bush signed last year tasked the FAA with coming
up with rules to regulate the commercial space flight industry, which
has been slowly getting off the ground.

Laws governing private sector space endeavors, such as satellite
launches, have existed for some time. But there previously has been no
legal jurisdiction for regulating commercial human spaceflight.

In 2001, California businessman Dennis Tito became the world's first
space tourist when he rode a Russian Soyuz capsule to the
international space station. Mark Shuttleworth, a South African
Internet magnate, followed a year later on a similar trip, also paying
$20 million for the ride.

Last year, in a feat considered a breakthrough for the future of
private spaceflight, Burt Rutan won the $10 million Ansari X Prize by
rocketing his SpaceShipOne to the edge of space twice in five days.

Two months ago, Greg Olsen, who made millions at a Princeton, N.J.,
technology company, became the world's third paying space tourist,
also on a jaunt to the international space station.

The 123-page proposal was published Thursday in the Federal Register,
the government's daily publication of rules and regulations, and will
be subject to public comment for 60 days, through Feb. 27.

Final regulations are expected by June 23.

On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 20:38:40 -0800, Rusty
wrote:

Gov't releases proposed space tourism rules

....Damn, I was just about to post the announcement of this report, but
I should have expected Rusty to be on top of it, as it's in PDF format
:-P

OM
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Rusty wrote:

Passengers also would have to be trained on how to respond during
emergencies, including the loss of cabin pressure, fire and smoke, as
well as how to get out of the vehicle safely.



Hopefully this will work better than on the Shuttle. ;-)

Pat