SPACE as tourist destination was in the news this week after the historic suborbital flights of SpaceShipOne. Some enthusiasts are said to have already sent in deposits toward the $150,000 or so it is going to cost to take a trip ” fledgling carrier Virgin Galactic having announced plans for suborbital passenger flights by 2007. There is a fly in the ointment, however ” drafting the rules that will govern the industry in the US. Talks between regulators and rocket developers are still going on, and legislation is still before Congress. Officials say the pace of the talks and the final shape of the regulations could determine whether the current enthusiasm for space tourism remains at its current peak, especially among investors.
US Federal Aviation Administration chief Marion Blakey said it was important for the US to be the world leader, but safety issues were the agency's main issue. "Our first concern will be the safety of the uninvolved public, making sure that as this grows and develops that we're doing everything we can to protect the folks on the ground, to make sure that the people who go into space understand the risks," she said. "It will be a risky business for many years to come, no doubt."
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