amazon in space

I just ran across an article about the founder of Amazon, and his new space travel company. His new company, Blue Origin, has just had its first test launch in Texas.

Here's the article:
amazon in space

Jeff Bezos had this to say about his new venture, "We're working, patiently and step-by-step, to lower the cost of spaceflight so that many people can afford to go; and so that we humans can better continue exploring the Solar System."

Pretty crazy. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 and may be running commercial trips as early as 2010. One early distinguishing feature of Bezos' spacecrafts, when compared to the typical shuttles that we're accustomed to seeing from NASA, is that they take off and land on their feet.

Blue Origin isn't the only private organization with their eyes on space, either. In fact, space tourists have already been sent to the space station by a company called "Space Adventures". I can only imagine what type of security requirements there must be to be able to do this. After all, if our regular domestic commercial airliners are under such a watchful set of eyes, imagine what private space flight will have to endure for approval by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

Although there are several companies with their eyes on this new commercial cash crop, I can't honestly see it becoming a "regular" thing for at least another few decades. Even if these companies manage to master their initial travel goals, the cost of fuel alone will probably require that they charge "astronomical" amounts of money to ride them. If nothing else, it will provide a source of entertainment for suicidal thrill-seeking millionaires. It also opens up a can of worms with regards to liability. My guess is that they would require any passenger to sign a waiver before riding, but those don't always hold up in court, so the first accident (and successful reactive lawsuit) will likely be the death blow for these ventures.

But then again, I'm just a consumer, so what do I know...