To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Translating for the FAA
Commercial spaceflight needs to be regulated... right? Leave it to the FAA to come up with "the rules" and thanks to Wired for the translation:
The first draft of the Federal Aviation Administration's rules and requirements for civilian space travel has landed! It's a solid proposal, but we have some comments and suggestions for tweaking the, uh, non-nominal bureaucratic lingo. - James Lee
PAGE 4
What it Says
The [Commercial Space Launch Amendment Act] requires that a space flight participant be informed of the risks of taking a ride on a rocket ...
What it Means
Use caution opening overhead bins, as objects may shift ... in space! In the event of cabin depressurization, dude, you are totally hosed.
What it Says
... and the FAA may issue regulations requiring space flight participants to undergo an appropriate physical examination.
What it Means
If you get seasick, airsick, or carsick, you're likely to get spacesick, too. And if you don't, the person seated next to you will.
PAGE 5
What it Says
When the FAA licensed SpaceShipOne missions, the agency accepted the pilots' commercial pilot certificates as demonstrating adequate skills ...
What it Means
"Adequate"?! Knowing how to drop a 737 into La Guardia is good enough to make the jump to hyperspace?
PAGE 6
What it Says
The performance standard would require each member of the crew to be able to withstand the stresses of space flight sufficiently to carry out his or her role on board so that the vehicle will not harm the public ...
What it Means
You must be able to play at least 10 hours of Halo 2 nonstop without a bathroom break to ride this ride.
PAGE 7
What it Says
[A]lthough different vehicles may impose different stresses, those stresses are likely to include micro-gravity, acceleration, and vibration.
What it Means
Additional stresses may include aliens bursting out of your chest or a vengeful Ricardo Montalban.
What it Says
For example, SpaceShipOne's pilots underwent training that included aerobatic maneuvers and unusual attitude recovery training to match the anticipated stresses of the eventual flight environment. Unusual attitudes may include high rates of roll and all-attitude spins.
What it Means
If by "all-attitude spin" you mean "Jane, get me off this crazy thing!" see comment above, re: spacesick.
What it Says
The FAA would require crew training to include nominal (i.e., normal) and non-nominal flight conditions. Training to respond to planned and unplanned events would allow the crew to better respond to emergencies.
What it Means
Is there any word you can hear on a spacecraft more terrifying than "non-nominal"? Perhaps "unplanned"?
