Posted on 11/18/2004 1:26:04 PM PST by ezfindit
No sooner had SpaceShipOne safely landed in the Mojave Desert, making history as the first privately-funded manned space vehicle, than government officials rekindled their desire to regulate this nascent private industry. Such concern for the safety of future space travelers is commendable but somewhat disingenuous, given Congress' rather poor record of oversight in maintaining the safety of NASA's Space Shuttle program.
The revolutionary SpaceShipOne project was started by Burt Rutan partially in response to the challenge setup by the X-Prize. The prize was created to reward the first privately funded team that sent a three-person spacecraft into space on two different flights within a two-week period. With approximately $30 million in funds Rutan and his group were able to achieve this amazing goal in a relatively short amount of time and claim the award.
These historic spaceflights are on par in importance and significance with the Wright Brother's first powered flight a hundred years ago. The success of this venture is a testament to the ingenuity, skill, hard work, and dedication of a small group of pioneers that accomplished something extraordinary. Mark down one more success story for private enterprise and the American spirit.
While Rutan's company was busy making history and revolutionizing the space travel industry, our concerned representatives in Washington were busy drafting legislation to regulate a commercial space industry that does not yet exist. Showing great concern over our safety, officials are once again working to expand the power of the government, this time into space. For months now they have been trying to pass legislation to protect us from ourselves. Such fretting over our wellbeing is indeed commendable, but given the myriad problems we have seen with NASA, our officials should strive to clean up their own act first before reaching for more control and responsibility.
(Excerpt) Read more at orthodoxnet.com ...
They cannot even control their own spectres.
Space policy ping
This is why they should not be making any awards for private flight. Keep their control crazy hands off of this enterprise.
I think space travel should be in private hands, not government hands.
BUMP to that!
This was actually good legislation that would have really helped the sub-orbital business, but some congressional staffers put in some wording that totally changed it into a bill that would've made them responsible for passenger safety, when it originally put the passenger responsible for understanding the risks and voluntarily electing to go. The congress critters listened when the space community spoke up about it and put the legislation on hold. It should be rewrote and be passed into law in the next congress.
The Nanny State Contingent here at FR is large, very large and vocal.
It cost NASA lots of money when it comes to launching a space shuttle. In private hands, it is a lot cheaper.
BTTT
Please, put me on your Space ping list?
It'd be a lot safer if it was in private hands. The Shuttle and the Soyuz are both the most dangerous spacecraft in history and yet Congress is looking for ways to keep the Shuttle going. Makes you wonder...
What do you think of the idea of withdrawing from the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty and extending private property rights to outer space?
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