ARTICLE SUMMARY
Introduction
As the sun rises in Southern New Mexico, the Galactic takes off from Spaceport America carrying spaceship two, which has six passengers and two crew on board, sky rocketing away from the earth’s surface. At about 50,000 feet, the WhiteKnightTwo has its cargo and eight passengers ready for the next phase of the voyage, where the SpaceshipTwo releases itself from WhiteKnighhtTwo and blasts into spaces with thrice the speed of sound. It reaches the outside atmosphere where there is no blue sky, and gravity is almost zero. The sky is pitch black, and the passengers glance outside the window with emotions from the beautiful scenery of outer space. Moments later, the crew instructs the passengers to return to their seats their seats and brace for re-entry. This is a critical stage as gravity takes hold again, and great g-forces pull the spaceship back to earth. For the passengers, it has been a voyage to remember.
With that in mind, Galactic plans to launch a first of the kind trip to the space for a fee not exceeding $200,000 for a seat reservation on board the Space Ship. This is a new milestone in space travel, and there are numerous speculations surrounding the idea by Galactic, especially matters regarding the safety of the voyage, back and forth the space travel. The Virgin Galactic company has prepared for this event, by enhancing the technology needed to venture into the outer space and back to Earth, without putting the lives of their clients in risks and danger. Regardless of the safeties portrayed by Virgin Galactic, it is faced with many legal issues that describe the action necessary for safer transport of crews and passengers inside the SpaceShipTwo.
Legal issues
The government seems to struggle in finding measures that will ensure the safety of spacecrafts like the SpaceShipTwo, without interfering or shutting down the industry’s development. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in conjunction with the Commercial Space Transportation (AST), is mandated to regulate and ensure the safety of these Space Crafts. In accordance with regulations, the AST functions as a business line under the FAA, and operate with the FAA to control commercial space transportation that includes licensing and maintenance procedures, for the management of launches and re-entry sites.
The AST is responsible in regulating the commercial space transportation business by ensuring it comply with the international regulations of the United States, while protecting the safety and health of the public in particular, the safety of property as well, and protecting the interest of foreign policy and national security of the US. The AST also facilitates, encourages, and promotes the commercial space launches and the re-entries of the private sectors, in addition to recommending apposite changes in treaties, Federal Statutes, regulations, plans, and procedures.
The FAA does not need to trail the structure used to build up the safety standards for commercial aviation providers to expand regulations and safety of the commercial space travel. The birth of commercial space market has enhanced the need of a regulatory scheme with an aim of governing the industry, as seen in recent developments. In a speech by president Obama, he motivated private industries to embark on innovations that will help the United States’ space program. In regards to space travel, limits on regulations will offers companies developing technologies significant leeway for innovative advancement and manufacturing, while handing the FAA and AST full mandate in space craft’s safety regulations. This is through encouraging launches and re-entries by private sectors, and ensuring there is full compliance with international obligation of the US, to govern public health and safety. In conclusion, the FAA and AST ought to limit regulations of space travel by commercial industries, while nurturing the long-term pioneering development of advancement that intends to make commercial space travel much safer.
In relation to the article, as a hospitality manager, I gain to learn the effectiveness and importance of nurturing new ideas in the field of hospitality. As a manager, I am obliged to promote any developing sector in hospitality management regardless of whether it is private owned, since according to this article, there are potential benefits of running private firms, whether in space travel, airlines, and hotel management. In the current market, more and more individuals and private companies are emerging as leading industries in providing services, which the government limits to a certain group of innovators. After reading the article, as a manager in the field of hospitality, I am better off knowing the need of encouraging private technology development, and the part the government plays in safety regulations regarding the private industry’s running of these services.
Works Cited
Flores, Mark. Blast off?--Strict Liability's Potential Role in the Development of the
Commercial Space Market. XVII Rich. J.L. & Tech. 2 (2010), http://jolt.richmond.edu/v17i1/article2.pdf.
