THE European Aviation Safety Agency is developing safety rules for civilian space flight - but they will only apply while craft are in the Earth's atmosphere.
With Sweden already building a spaceport from which Virgin Galactic may offer flights into the aurora borealis, EASA has decided to act. "Both [Virgin's] carrier aircraft and the rocket-powered aeroplane/glider would meet the definition of an aircraft, and therefore fall under EASA's scope," says a spokesman.
But the agency admits it cannot legislate for flights beyond the atmosphere: "EASA has no competency nor mandate for outer space, where international law applies." The International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety wants a United Nations-backed global agreement that mandates safety measures in space.
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Have your say
Bureaucrats In Space. .
Sun Nov 09 10:12:17 GMT 2008 by Adam
In space no one can hear you sue.....
International
Mon Nov 10 01:03:03 GMT 2008 by Mike
International law qapplies to outer space?
Laws In Space. . .
Mon Nov 10 03:08:36 GMT 2008 by Mike
I hope the inhabitants of the UFOs have been obeying our international laws in their part of the galaxy.
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