U.S. May Require Fingerprinting and Study of Rocket Hobbyists

The NY Times ^ | March 9, 2003 | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Pharmboy]

WASHINGTON, March 8 (AP) — Hobbyists who build and launch high-powered model rockets could soon be subject to background checks, fingerprinting and storage inspections.

Under new provisions set to go into effect May 24 under the Homeland Security Act, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives would place further restrictions on the fuel that powers the rockets.

Sport rocketry attracts thousands of hobbyists across the country. The rockets can stand taller than an adult, soar miles into the sky and are designed to land intact nearby.

The new rules will require buyers of the rocket fuel ammonium perchlorate composite propellant to submit their fingerprints and photographs to the bureau. The government will check applicants' backgrounds to see if they are among those banned from possessing explosives, felons, for example.

Under the proposed rules, the government will also inspect the areas where permit holders store explosives at least once every three years.

"You can't even estimate the devastating effect this is going to have on the hobby," said Bruce Kelly, the publisher of the magazine High Power Rocketry, said of the rule changes.

Hobbyists have won the support of Senator Michael B. Enzi, Republican of Wyoming, who is drafting legislation to free rocketeers from the rules. His spokesman dismissed government claims that the regulations would better track explosives while not being "overly burdensome."

Meanwhile hobbyists are mounting a public relations assault on the new regulations. The Web site of the Amateur Rocketry Society of America, posts daily updates on the hobby's dispute with "the feds." This week it gave a plan of action.

"Senator Enzi has requested that you fax your letter and phone your two senators to enlist their support for this important legislation," the posting said of a measure exempting rocketry from the Safe Explosives Act. "If you have not done so yet, please do it this week."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says the most common model-rocket motors, which are smaller and typically use a weaker fuel, do not require permits and will not be affected.

"The Safe Explosives Act has not, does not and will not affect that exemption," said Gail Davis, chief of the bureau's public safety branch.

But hobbyists fear that restrictions on how explosive material can be shipped will hamper businesses that make and sell rocket motors.

Curtailed shipping could lead to a de facto ban on motor sales, said Gregory Lyzenga, a rocket enthusiast and geophysics researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

"It's not as though there's been a law passed saying `model rocketry is illegal,' but it's just that the materials are unavailable," Mr. Lyzenga said.

Rocketeers are suing the bureau in federal court in Washington to force it to change its classification of ammonium perchlorate composite propellant as an explosive. They say it burns and does not blow up.

[Pharmboy]

They say it burns and does not blow up.

But can it carry a payload?

[annyokie]

I guess I'll have to show some ID when I buy those Estes rockets for the kids, now.

[7 x 77]

The regulations they describe don't seem burdensome.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Another nibble out of the apple of freedom.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

We don't need no steenking freedom.

ANTI-TERROR ÜBER ALLES

The mythical "freedom versus security" tradeoff is a false choice.

The 911 attacks did not occur because Americans have too much freedom.

They occurred because terrorists were able to gain access to the cockpits of hijacked aircraft.

Instead of equipping all commercial aircraft with doors which could actually be used to keep hijackers out of cockpits, Washington created an Orwellian monster named the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and hired tens of thousands of minimum-wage Gestapo to root through the underwear of airline passengers and arrest/prosecute those who object.

Simply setting foot in an airport is now considered to be a terrorist act.

The fact that the TSA created a national airport police force without ever addressing the cockpit-door scandal is damning evidence that their mandate has nothing to do with protecting anyone. 

The true mission of the TSA is to turn America into a police state.

Airports are the incubators. 

The statists want to condition us to accept the idea that probable cause is dead and they can search our houses, our hard drives and our persons and demand to see our papers at any time. 

Boycott the airline industry and its airport/POW camps now, or live in a national POW camp later.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The regulations they describe don't seem burdensome.

Neither was the income tax when it first got started. The burdensome part comes once they have people conditioned to the idea.

[Orangedog]

The regulations they describe don't seem burdensome.

Ever had the ATF "visit" your house?

[annyokie]

Thanks! Great post!

[7 x 77]

Ever had the ATF "visit" your house?

No, but maybe they should be visiting suspicious people with explosives.

[templar]

40+years ago, before the model stuff, we called them amatuer rockets. didn't have access to things like composite amonium perchlorate propellants then. We usually used a mixture of sulphur and zinc dust. Nasty stuff to make mistakes with, but it really made them fly. I suspect it was some of us that went on to put a man on the moon. Sad to see those days passing into history.

America, the land of the free and home of the brave.

[templar]

The regulations they describe don't seem burdensome.

No more so than background checks and licensing, along with home inspections, for firearms and all other things dangerous when misused.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[ExSES]

Sport rocketry attracts thousands of hobbyists across the country. The rockets can stand taller than an adult, soar miles into the sky and are designed to land intact nearby.

Unfortunately, the possibilities are endless! Model rockets, radio controlled airplanes, boats & cars (hey, they can readily become "guided weapons"). What about the millions of propane tanks (remember Columbine..., they just weren't sharp enough to perfect detonators).

The above are only toys..., what about trucks, RVs, large trailers, boats, etc.?

"Your Toys Are Dangerous and MUST BE CONFISCATED"! What BS!!!

[annyokie]

No kidding! Everyone here should watch "October Sky" A great movie about Homer Hickum (future NASA engineer) and his efforts to build a rocket.

[El Conservador]

It's reassuring to see that there's still people who are willing to trade their freedoms for (temporary) security. (/sarcasm)

[Pharmboy]

The captured al qaeda hairy guy had plans for hijacking oil trucks and crashing them into targets. Scary stuff...we must remain vigilant.

[LiberationIT]

They can carry a payload, but not explosives, pyrotechnics, vertebrate animals and such. Usually the payload is a camera, altimeter or something similar. The rockets cannot be actively guided, as they then become a missile.

The hobby is already heavily regulated.

The finger printing, etc. is overkill. To get into the high end of the hobby, you need, usually, a BATF permit (Low Explosives User Permit,) that requires significant background checks, an interview, approved storage facility.

If you value your second amendment rights, you may want to support the rocket hobby. Each "trimming" of your rights is a step to their elimination. Browse over to http://www.tripoli.org for more info.

[Glenn]

"Your Toys Are Dangerous and MUST BE CONFISCATED"! What BS!!!

Here's the disturbing part:

Hobbies like these are what make tomorrow's engineers and today's engineers better. We didn't land on the moon first without creating the environment where the truly curious and devoted could invest all of themselves in their vocations and avocations.

More unintended consequences of the paranoid looking for the evil in us all.

[Pharmboy]

As a Freeper, I am, of course, a major Second Amendment supporter: lifetime NRA since 1975. Your point is a good one and I did visit the tripoli website.

[afraidfortherepublic]

If you haven't seen it, may I recommend October Sky for family viewing. Get it at your video store. It is a true story, taken from the book, "Rocket Boys," written by a NASA engineer about his introduction to rocket science as a high schooler in West Virginia. It will warm your heart.