[MITMS-Discuss] Re: Fwd: Space Entrepreneurs Resolve To Create Industry Group

[Jessica J Marquez]

Was there any doubt about that?  if we are all serious about going to space as
civilian, there needs to be regulation and standards. 

Quoting Thomas Coffee <tcoffee at MIT.EDU>:

> Human spaceflight may soon have "industry standards" ...
> 
> >Date: Tue,  8 Feb 2005 16:24:40 -0800
> >From: "X PRIZE Foundation" <Peter at xprize.org>
> >To: "X PRIZE!" <tcoffee at mit.edu>
> >Subject: Space Entrepreneurs Resolve To Create Industry Group
> >
> >
> >
> >February 8, 2005
> >
> >4a5a3cc.jpg
> >
> >
> >
> >February 08, 2005 11:21 AM US Eastern Timezone
> >
> >Space Entrepreneurs Resolve To Create Industry Group to Promote Safety 
> >Standards and Growth of the Personal Spaceflight Industry
> >
> >LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 8, 2005--Leaders from the newly 
> >emerging Personal Spaceflight Industry today announced their intent to 
> >organize an industry federation to design and uphold the standards and 
> >processes necessary to ensure public safety and promote growth of the 
> >personal spaceflight industry. The group also resolved to set up a 
> >Voluntary Personal Spaceflight Industry Consensus Standards Organization 
> >to develop Industry Consensus Standards to implement the Commercial Space 
> >Launch Amendments Act of 2004. Membership in the proposed federation would 
> >be open to all US non-profit and commercial entities developing suborbital 
> >commercial passenger travel.
> >
> >To date, there have been three successful suborbital spaceflights, which 
> >operated under an experimental license granted by the Federal Aviation 
> >Administration. Looking to the near future when these new space vehicles 
> >will carry passengers and crew, the new Commercial Space Launch Amendments 
> >Act of 2004, passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in December 
> >2004, empowers government to provide for the safety of the uninvolved 
> >public through launch licensing, as well as establish Industry Consensus 
> >Standards to provide for the safety of passengers and crew on these new 
> >vehicles.
> >
> >The group of entrepreneurs believes that adherence to new and rigorous 
> >safety standards that go beyond the letter of the law will be essential to 
> >promote the safety and growth of the industry. Accordingly, the group has 
> >expressed its intent to initially focus on standards and procedures in 
> >areas critical to vehicle safety, medical requirements, and training for 
> >passengers and crew.
> >
> >"Just as the personal computer revolution dramatically increased 
> >performance and lowered the cost of computing, the market for Personal 
> >Spaceflight promises to transform the economics of space operations," said 
> >Gregg Maryniak, Executive Director of the X PRIZE Foundation and 
> >spokesperson for the new Personal Spaceflight Federation.
> >
> >"The only way to reduce the cost of spaceflight is to do more of it," 
> >Maryniak continued. "In 2004, there were only 15 worldwide commercial 
> >space launches because there were only 15 commercial satellite 
> >payloads.(1) Personal spaceflight promises a much larger market and will 
> >provide the demand that the industry needs to grow and economize."
> >
> >Recent market studies indicate a strong and consistent demand for personal 
> >spaceflight, with some 70 percent of respondents in the developed world 
> >responding that they would be willing to buy a ticket to see the Earth 
> >from space when such trips are commercially available.
> >
> >Several "new space" US companies currently are developing the vehicles 
> >needed to meet this demand for human suborbital spaceflight. Public belief 
> >in the Personal Spaceflight Industry peaked following the recent award of 
> >the $10 million ANSARI X PRIZE, won by the Mojave Aerospace Ventures Team 
> >with the two successful flights of SpaceShip One on September 29th and 
> >October 4th, 2004.
> >
> >Space entrepreneurs working to create the new federation include: John 
> >Carmack, 
>
><http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=83417&c=69449124&m=m&type=1>Armadillo
> 
> >Aerospace; Burt Rutan, 
> ><http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=83418&c=69449124&m=m&type=1>Scaled
> 
> >  Composites; Elon Musk, 
> ><http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=83419&c=69449124&m=m&type=1>SpaceX;
> 
> >Alex Tai, 
> ><http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=83420&c=69449124&m=m&type=1>Virgin
> 
> >  Galactic; Jeff Greason, 
> ><http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=83421&c=69449124&m=m&type=1>XCOR; 
> >Dr. Peter Diamandis, X PRIZE Foundation; Gary Hudson, t/Space/HMX; George 
> >French, 
> ><http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=83422&c=69449124&m=m&type=1>Pioneer
> 
> >Rocketplane; Stuart Witt, 
> ><http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=83423&c=69449124&m=m&type=1>Mojave
> 
> >  Spaceport, Eric Anderson, 
> ><http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=83424&c=69449124&m=m&type=1>Space 
> >Adventures, and Michael S. Kelly, Chairman, RLV Working Group of 
>
><http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=83425&c=69449124&m=m&type=1>COMSTAC,
> 
> >the Department of Transportation's industry advisory committee. Gregg 
> >Maryniak and Diane Murphy, executives of the X PRIZE Foundation, will 
> >facilitate the organization's liaison efforts with industry, US Government 
> >and media.
> >
> >(1) January 2005 Launch Report, Futron Corporation, Bethesda, Md.~
> >
> >Contact:
> >Diane Murphy
> >The X PRIZE Foundation
> >www.xprize.org
> >
> >
> >
> >=========================================
> >
> >The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational 501(c)3 organization. Please 
> >consider making a contribution today by 
> ><http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=83426&c=69449124&m=m&type=1>Credit
> 
> >  Card, by 
> ><http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=83427&c=69449124&m=m&type=1>PayPal,
> 
> >or by calling one of our development staff at 1.866.X.PRIZE.8
> >
> >=========================================
> >
> >
> >
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