More than 120 pages of proposed rules, released Thursday, governing the future of space tourism touch on medical standards for passengers, preflight training and other topics.What kind of "other topics" are addressed in Human Space Flight Requirements for Crew and Space Flight Participants?
For one thing, Section II.A.9, "Human Factors" (p.29) states:
The FAA proposes to require an operator to make provisions for restraint or stowage of all individuals and objects in the cabin, so moving objects do not interfere with the flight crew's operation of the vehicle during flight.II.B.5., "Security Requirements" (p.38) is where things really start to get interesting:
The FAA proposes to require an operator to implement security requirements to prevent any space flight participant from jeopardizing the safety of the flight crew or the public. Security restrictions currently apply to passengers for airlines. Some of the restrictions prohibit a person carrying explosives, firearms, knives, or other weapons from boarding an airplane. Similar types of security restrictions for launch or reentry vehicles would contribute to the safety of the public by preventing a space flight participant from potentially interfering with the flight crew's operation of the vehicle. Any such interference might jeopardize the flight crew's ability to protect the public. The FAA notes that one means of satisfying part of this requirement would be for an operator to consult the "no-fly" list of the Transportation Security Administration.So just to get things straight: Seeing as how government does everything so well, including the astounding competence demonstrated by the TSA, the feds (naturally, and unsurprisingly) intend to extend their clutches into private space travel. The pioneer developers clearly aren't competent to decide for themselves who and what they wish to let aboard their craft, and under what mutually acceptable contractual terms and conditions.
The bureaucrats aren't very imaginative, are they? You don't need to be a speculative/science fiction enthusiast to imagine the opportunities for an "outlaw" existence once colonization of the Moon and Mars begins in earnest, or asteroid mining, or beyond...
The desire for freedom will not be lessened, nor will the righteous defiance of tyrannical restraints. What kind of people do these form-stamping parasites think the new pioneers will be?
UPDATE: I posted this article to their Public Comment form. Please consider sending them comments of your own.
[Jed has more.]
