Regarding:  “It would be interesting to hear how they regulated the flights of extraordinary experimental aircraft.”

 

I can’t address the specific flight restrictions and procedures in place for the SS1 flight.  I can offer that Congress is providing the fledgling commercial human space flight industry with considerable regulatory freedom at this time.  The intent is to create an analog of the legal environment the early aviation industry exploited in order to speed technological and business progress.  Today the FAA is responsible for licensing for launch and entry – but, only with the authority to ensure the safety of the public, not vehicle certification as we know it.  Passengers that fly on these space ships will do so under an “informed consent” legal frame work, completely aware of the risks involved.  The industry knows the first fatalities will force additional regulatory control.

 

I’m working a government project to help stimulate this industry.  We’re investing half a billion dollars over several years in companies that show great promise, providing our technical expertise from 50 years of human space flight, and offering up the International Space Station’s crew and cargo services as a kind of “anchor tenant” -- about an $800 million/year market for cargo alone…  This is quite an experiment for us – but, I think it is so important that I’d rather be helping make this happen than working on our new Moon & Mars exploration effort.  I think it’s the shortest path to us all being able to afford a ticket to space some day...

 

Our commercial partners are working on the capability to fly to orbit rather than Rutan’s suborbital business.  Burt was welcome to compete for our help but prides himself on not taking any government help.  Our leading commercial partner so far is SpaceX – Space Exploration Technologies:  http://www.spacex.com

 

Valin Thorn

 

Lancair Legacy in work

Deputy Program Manager

NASA Commercial Crew & Cargo Program

Johnson Space Center

Houston, Texas USA