Oct 20 2006
From The Space Library
GAO released a report recommending that the U.S. Congress and the FAA reconsider the FAA’s roles and responsibilities regarding the burgeoning commercial space tourism industry. In 2004 Congress had made the FAA responsible for regulations to ensure the safety of space tourists. However, Congress had also limited the FAA’s ability to regulate crew and passenger safety until 2012, so that safety regulations would not stifle the budding space tourism industry. The GAO report noted that, although the FAA had performed well in its efforts to ensure that the space tourism industry followed safe procedures, the industry’s rapid growth required the FAA to take a greater role than anticipated in creating safety regulations to for the period before 2012. The report suggested that, to accomplish its goal, the FAA would need additional funds and personnel, including staff with sufficient expertise to evaluate complex launch technologies. Furthermore, the report recommended that Congress reconsider the FAA’s dual role in both regulating and promoting the industry, warning that this dual role presented a potential conflict of interest. The FAA and the Department of Transportation agreed with the report’s findings and recommendations.
Mike Toner, “FAA Put on Guard for Space Tourism,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA), 30 October 2006; U.S. Government Accountability Office, “Commercial Space Launches: FAA Needs Continued Planning and Monitoring To Oversee the Safety of the Emerging Space Tourism Industry” (report no. GAO-07-16, Washington, DC, 20 October 2006), http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0716.pdf (accessed 20 April 2010).
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