Posted on 01/17/2008 8:14:44 PM PST by BenLurkin
The Mojave Air and Space Port is bringing in a Washington lobbyist to consult on its efforts to resolve issues regarding its spaceport license with the Federal Aviation Administration. The board of directors of the East Kern Airport District, which governs the spaceport, approved a six-month agreement with James Muncy of Polispace at $1,000 per month. The agreement may be extended if needed.
The facility, the first inland spaceport to be licensed by the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation, recently received an amended launch site operator's license after months of discussions regarding the facility's plans for safely storing and handling the energetic chemicals used by rocket companies at the site.
Two explosive accidents at the airport last summer, one of which was fatal, increased regulatory scrutiny on the Mojave facility.
"I believe we need to seek relief from some terms and conditions they imposed on us in that order," said General Manager Stu Witt.
He has prepared a response to the amended license, which will be sent to the FAA shortly.
"We are going to need lobbying support for the next six months," not only for the spaceport itself, but for the good of its tenants, he said.
The spaceport license provides the framework referenced in individual tenants' own space vehicle licenses.
"I'm not sure it's as good as it could be, both in terms of safety and business," Witt said.
Witt did not elaborate on the specific questions regarding the amended license order that the spaceport is seeking to address with the FAA.
The board agreed that preserving the integrity of the spaceport license is crucial, particularly as Mojave is seen as a pathfinder in the nascent personal spaceflight industry.
"To me, this is something extraordinarily valuable. This is who we are," said director Dick Rutan.
(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...
Space ping
We know the moors have been expelled Mr. Columbus, but you still have to suibmit all of your plans in triplicate to the minister of exploration.
It took be a couple read throughs — but I think I get what you are saying.
We don’t have these problems here at Mos Cruses.
I think humans will progresss despite government regulation.
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