Mon, Nov 22, 2004
Gives FAA Authority To Regulate It
In the wake of
SpaceShipOne's breakthrough accomplishments, The US House of
Representatives Saturday okayed a bill that facilitates commercial
space flight.
The final vote was 269-120, taken only after a raucous debate
over how much protection the law should provide commercial space
passengers.
"After being informed of the risks, people can and should be
able to decide to buy a ticket and achieve their lifelong dream of
flying into space even though they know that it is a risky
proposition," said Rep. Dana Rohrbacher (R-CA).
But even after the vote, some Democrats in the House -- even
some considered very good friends of aviation -- weren't satisfied
with the safety measures passed in the bill.
I don't want to see people dead from a space experiment, and
then the federal government comes in to regulate," said Rep. James
Oberstar (D-MN), the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee's senior Democrat.
But many in the fledgling commercial space industry had fought
long and hard to get the measure passed as is. Not long ago, former
shuttle astronaut Rick Searfoss, now working with Peter Diamandis's
Zero-G, told ANN that some congressmen were trying to gut the
commercial space bill and would make it almost impossible for
companies like Virgin Galactic to operate if they had their way.
Rep. Rohrbacher agreed with that sentiment.
That kind of regulation, he said, would "strangle this industry
and drive these entrepreneurs offshore."
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