Mojave Airport prepares for future space launches

Bill to push private space launches advances
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Monday, March 29, 2004.
By ALLISON GATLIN
Valley Press Staff Writer

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The House of Representatives recently passed legislation designed to help get the emerging commercial space launch industry off the ground. The bill cold aid Valley companies such as Mojave's XCOR Aerospace and Scaled Composites in the process.
The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004 passed the House earlier this month and has been sent to the Senate.

"We're very happy with the final form of HR 3752," said Jeff Greason, president of XCOR Aerospace. Last year, Greason testified before a joint hearing of the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics and the Senate Subcommittee on Science Technology and Space regarding the need to clarify regulations for commercial space flight.

The act outlines how commercial space vehicles will be licensed, giving such authority to the Federal Aviation Administration's commercial space transportation office. This creates a "one-stop shop" for space launch licensing, Greason said.

The only space-related line of business within the FAA, the office of associate administrator for commercial space transportation, or AST, was established as part of the Department of Transportation and transferred to the FAA in 1995. The office is responsible for licensing commercial launches of orbital rockets and suborbital sounding rockets.

In addition to a streamlined process, the legislation also provides for an experimental license classification, designed to help spur development of new technologies.

"It sends a clear signal from Congress to the FAA that they want to see a lighter burden on experimental flight, which is believed to be very, very necessary by the industry," Greason said.

"It is my sincere hope that this bill will encourage individuals like Burt Rutan and others to continue leading the way in pushing the boundaries of technology and safety by building and flight testing hardware, something NASA has yet to do. This fine piece of legislation carries forward my goal of promoting this new industry and cutting back bureaucratic red tape, while protecting the public health and safety," said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, in announcing passage of the bill, which he sponsored.

Another important aspect of the legislation is that it creates a regulatory framework for a "fly at your own risk regime," Greason said.

"The government defines how to communicate the level of risk involved to possible space tourists, rather than forcing the industry to meet risk standards that it cannot yet ensure."

If the legislation passes in the Senate, the law will "absolutely" help commercial space launch operations, said Janice Dunn, director of federal government relations for the California Space Authority.

"What this community, this industry needed was clarification of who would be regulating them," Dunn said. "It seems like every time there's clarity about regulations, that bring in investment dollars."

A companion bill to the House resolution is under consideration in the Senate. SB 1260, is similar to the House bill, but does not go as far, Dunn said.

agatlin@avpress.com
 
 

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