SpaceShip Two

[Build9A]

Dear Moderators: I know this is a little off topic and will understand if it is removed.

SpaceShip two has $30,000,000 in deposits for rides into space. See EAA website for article/video. Surely they are not going through the FAA certification process since they are projecting first passenger flights in late 2008. How do they accomplish this commercial activity with an experimental aircraft (spacecraft)? I'm all for it and if I had an extra $200,000 I'd sign up. I'm just curious if anyone knows how they get around this rule/regulation? Are they flying from another country or is there some special category? thanks

[Kevin Horton]

SpaceShipTwo is governed by the rules created by the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation. They published the regulations for space tourism about a year ago. These rules allow the carriage of space tourists in what is effectively an experimental space craft, as long as the passengers are fully informed of the risks.

White Knight Two, the aircraft that carries SpaceShipTwo, may have to be covered by the normal FARs though, which would require that it receive a FAR 25 type certificate, as far as I can tell. The alternative would seem to be some sort of waiver to the reg that prevents commercial use of an experimental aircraft.

[Build9A]

Thanks for the response Kevin.. interesting. I'm waiting to win the lottery so I can become an astronaut.

[breister]

Originally Posted by Kevin Horton

SpaceShipTwo is governed by the rules created by the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation. They published the regulations for space tourism about a year ago. These rules allow the carriage of space tourists in what is effectively an experimental space craft, as long as the passengers are fully informed of the risks.

White Knight Two, the aircraft that carries SpaceShipTwo, may have to be covered by the normal FARs though, which would require that it receive a FAR 25 type certificate, as far as I can tell. The alternative would seem to be some sort of waiver to the reg that prevents commercial use of an experimental aircraft.

On that second point, couldn't White Knight Two be considered a "First Stage" of the rocket and fall under the regulations in the paragraph above it? That might not even be a loophole, since it is unlikely to be any more dangerous than the actual rocket stage.

[Kevin Horton]

Originally Posted by breister

On that second point, couldn't White Knight Two be considered a "First Stage" of the rocket and fall under the regulations in the paragraph above it? That might not even be a loophole, since it is unlikely to be any more dangerous than the actual rocket stage.

I wouldn't want to guess what the FAA's position will be on this. For Virgin Galatic's sake, I hope they can find a way to avoid a full FAR 25 type cert program, as that would normally take over 1000 hours of flight testing. I have to assume that they addressed this issue with the FAA before starting the project, as the answer to the question will make a huge difference in cost and schedule.