Commercial Space

                The idea of space tourism began in 1996 with the Ansari XPRIZE, a $10 million reward given to the team that could build a reusable spacecraft capable of carrying 3 people to 100 kilometers above the Earth’s surface within 2 weeks (Ansari, n.d.). During the competition 26 teams competed against each other and the winner was SpaceShip One created by Scaled Composites (Virgin Galactic, n.d.).  Space tourism developed as NASA began to retire the space shuttle. With the retirement of the space shuttle, the International Space Station will new way of obtaining cargo for the crew. NASA has awarded Space X and Orbital contracts through the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program (NASA, n.d.). As companies took over NASA’s responsibilities of supplying the ISS, other companies decided to enter the commercial space industry. Some of the hurdles are the cost associated with space travel and safety. Companies like Space X are responsible for transporting supplies to the ISS. Recently, Space X has experienced several rocket explosions costing taxpayers millions of dollars. In 2015, one of Space X’s rockets exploded destroying $118 million worth of supplies bound for the ISS (Davenport, 2016). In August, Space X lost another rocket carrying a $195 million satellite during fueling (Davenport, 2016). One accomplishment was made by Space X, when they managed to land a rocket on a pad in the ocean, the first successful sea landing ever (Wall, 2016).

                The first rules and regulations that dealt with space was the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, however that law was for NASA specific (NASA, 2008).  In 1984, Congress passed the Commercial Space Launch Act, which gave the Department of Transportation the responsibility to regulate commercial space launch activities. That specific task is being handled by the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (Spacepolicyonline, n.d.). The regulations governing commercial space travel are located in CFR Title 14 Part 400 to 460. The regulations deal with licensing, investigation and enforcement, launch safety, financial responsibility, and etc. (CFR, 2016). I do not believe that the current rules and regulations are enough, they need to be more restrictive. Every now and then a rocket belonging to Space X, Orbital Sciences, or another company blows up, costing taxpayers money as the cargo are set aflame. There are safety concerns that need to be dealt with before companies start sending people to space on fixed schedules. 

                I do not see space tourism as a viable industry anytime soon. Given the fact that it is incredibility expensive to finance and operate a spacecraft, the price the consumer has to pay will be high as well. The first space tourist was Dennis Tito, a millionaire who paid $20 million to go to the International Space Station (Wall, 2011). While the price is nowhere near as high, it is still a large amount of money. Most people do not have several hundred thousand dollars just lying around. Currently space tourism is something that people with lots of money can afford. It is not a means of transportation; it is a bucket-list item. Until the technology reaches a point in which space travel can be used as an effective mode of transportation, it will remain as a bucket list item. 

                One job on the management side is an aircraft systems engineering manager. The qualifications require an individual a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or similar engineering discipline, must have 10 – 15 years’ experience in aviation industry, a minimum of 5 years at an engineering firm, experience in aircraft mechanical system design, knowledge of design of flight vehicles that fit regulatory requirements, and etc. (Virgin Galactic, n.d.)

References

Ansari. (n.d.). Ansari XPRIZE. In Ansari XPRIZE. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://ansari.xprize.org/

Code of Federal Regulations. (2016, October 19). Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. In Government Publishing Office. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?gp=&SID=1f58495405665a030c05e44bca5a8591&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title14/14chapterIII.tpl

Davenport, C. (2016, September 21). Pointing at SpaceX explosion, ULA says Pentagon contracts shouldn't just go to lowest bidder. In LA Times. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ula-spacex-20160921-snap-story.html

NASA. (2008, August 25). National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as amended. In NASA. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://history.nasa.gov/spaceact-legishistory.pdf

NASA. (n.d.). Commercial Orbital Transportation Service (cots). In NASA. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.nasa.gov/commercial-orbital-transportation-services-cots

Spacepolicyonline. (n.d.). Space law activities. In Spacepolicyonline. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/space-law

Virgin Galactic. (n.d.). Aircraft systems engineering manager. In Virgin Galactic. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from https://careers-virgingalactic.icims.com/jobs/2420/aircraft-systems-engineering-manager/job?branding=live

Wall, M. (2016, April 10). Amazing Videos Show SpaceX's Epic Ocean Rocket Landing. In Space. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.space.com/32527-spacex-rocket-landing-sea-amazing-videos.html

Wall, M. (2011, April 27). First Space Tourist: How a U.S. Millionaire Bought a Ticket to Orbit. In Space. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.space.com/11492-space-tourism-pioneer-dennis-tito.html