Posted on 01/09/2006 4:46:56 PM PST by KevinDavis
Last week, for probably the first time in my life, I got excited by the prospect of U.S. government bureaucracy. The Federal Aviation Administration took a step toward developing rules for space tourism, issuing more than 120 pages of proposed guidelines for space flight participants. The initial set of regulations is set to go into effect in June, and to me its a sort of tipping point, cementing the reality that in just a few years any one of us may be able to blast off into the cosmos the same way we can fly Jet Blue to Vegas for the weekend. Thats an awesome thing, in the true sense of the word.
Right now, its mostly the super rich who are in line to take the first private commercial flights, including Richard Garriott. In its January issue, Texas Monthly has a terrific profile of the 44-year-old aspiring, uh, space flight participant. The story covers the race among a handful of millionaires to experience private space travel, but focuses on Garriott for good reason: Hes the son of NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, and he seeks to become the first second-generation space traveler. Jan Reids story is a fantastic read, particularly in the bits chronicling the Garriotts father-son relationship.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldhum.com ...
Depends, are we planning on bringing them back?
Lazamataz! :-)
Yes...
I want to know when Jim plans on launching FR's own satellite - Freepstar 1.
I volunteer!
Hey, what about us Nerds?
:')
Cannot happen. Due the the Omnibus Peace Accords of the United Federation of Sentient Beings, Galactic Year 18,293.939 and adopted on G.Y. 18,294.192, I am personally and expressly forbidden from leaving the Earth.
Something about those 4 populated planets I obliterated in my quest to destroy all things Canadian.
I think he's already there.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.