Over at the new space blog Hypotheses Non Fingo, one of the posters writes:

That leads me to another question - NASA in the US is designed to regulate space travel and space launches (among its many other points of interest) and each country that's involved in space exploration has its own government organization designated to do the same. So how do we coordinate with all those private companies that have the ability to build their own spacecraft? If many different organizations have the ability to launch - do we set forth regulations on safety specifications, times to launch, etc? I think this will become an issue in the near future, especially with the push for space passengers.

Well, I don't know the answer to the question, but there's a misapprehension here. NASA is neither "designed" or chartered to regulate space launch (thank the heavens--NASA's enough of a problem as it is without giving it legal authority to regulate its competition). NASA "regulates" only its own launches (and judging by the contents of the Gehman Report, doesn't do a very good job of it...).

Regulation of commercial launch is the job of the Department of Transportation. It's currently done specifically by the FAA, but that's not required by the enabling legislation--it was simply a decision made by the Clinton administration that could be undone by this one if it so chose. I in fact think that it might be a good idea to get it out of the FAA and reestablish the Office of Commercial Space Transportation to report directly to the secretary, as was the case through the late eighties and early nineties. But to allow NASA to do it would both require legislation, and be a disaster for the future of space transportation.

Dear Rand:

/De jure/, I agree with you: NASA has no role in commercial space regulation. But what is the situation /de facto/? If the FAA hires NASA engineers -- or an entire NASA subdepartment -- to do the inspections of commerical vehicles (particularly manned ones, but unmanned vehicles too), then NASA has /de facto/ control of the process.

I write out of ignorance: I don't know what the real situation is. I do know, however, that recent commercial outfits such as Burt Rutan's were concerned about both FAA and NASA regulation of their vehicles; and that the FAA is likely to have far fewer space vehicle experts than NASA.

If the FAA hires NASA engineers -- or an entire NASA subdepartment -- to do the inspections of commerical vehicles

It doesn't. I don't know why Burt was concerned about NASA regulation, if indeed he was. He should be worried about lots of things, but that's not one of them.

Hi ,

On a related matter. Who does Space Traffic Control? If there is going to be regular, common,
space flight this is going to be a real issue. There is going to be a need to distinguish between commercial intercontenial sub orbital flights and an attack or a rocket going out of control. The reaction time is going to be very short. The only way to assure security that I can see is to tie missile defense into a STC system.
All launches will need aproval and any significant deviation from the flight plan means you get shot down.

ta

Ralph