Chuck, I understand what you are saying and agree that their time line might be a bit out of whack. I was merely using the diving industry and the "risks" people are willing to take in order to participate as an example. My thoughts were more along the lines of the early pioneers of the sport, where people were dying or becoming seriously injured due to the unknown problems associated with breathing compressed gases under water. Today, because of the way the private sector and dive certification agencies have come together to set their own regulations regarding training and research, and because of the way they systematically police themselves, recreational diving has evolved into a sport with about as much risk of injury as bowling, and is free of any government regulation. The only aspect of the sport where the government is remotely involved is the DOT regulations regarding the inspection and transportation of compressed air cylinders. There is not even a government restriction on which breathing gases we can use. Knock on wood! Of course I teach wreck diving, where the risk of death surpasses the risk of injury and probably approaches those associated with space tourism, yet there are still lines of people signing up for the chance at exploring deep wrecks, where if you cut a hose, lose the line, kick up silt or run out of air, you are toast. Yet even with diving in the overhead environment, the actual death rate is remarkeably low because of careful preparation, redundancy of gear and training. Again, self policing. So I'm thinking, that if the private sector can approach this "space tourist" adventure in a similar fashion, then whenever it does develope, I don't see why it can't develope into something similar without heavy government restrictions. The fact is people are still going to die, but I think that for every one who dies, there will always be someone in line willing to step up and take their place. It's human nature. That's all I was saying... Now as for cocktails, set 'em up... ;) Quoting Chuck Hards <chuckhards@yahoo.com>:
Hi Guy, I don't doubt what altruistic actions people are capable of, I just doubt that there are enough waiver-signers to sustain a tourist-based commercial "space ride" industry with current hardware and ticket prices being discussed. An afternoon of scuba is a bargain (and much, much safer when there is sometimes actually a chance at resussitation, right?) when compared to a ride in a Rutan Special. I guess it's up to folks like you and Patrick to queue-up and keep it going for now. I'll wait until they take frequent flyer miles and serve cocktails... ;)
You know, we're not on opposite sides of this question, I just think what we all envision and desire is decades down the road, at least, rather than a few years.
--- diveboss@xmission.com wrote:
Oh, I don't know. People by the thousands sign liability releases daily
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