[extropy-chat] TECH: Fuel cells and terrorism

Adrian Tymes wingcat at pacbell.net
Sat Jun 26 23:07:33 UTC 2004


--- "Robert J. Bradbury" <bradbury at aeiveos.com> wrote:
> And while I'm on the topic, lets consider Space Ship
> One.
> While its current launch and return location doesn't
> present
> much of a risk, consider it being launched someplace
> further
> to the east (lets say in Maryland).  Wealthy
> passengers
> buy a seat, wait until it finishes its trip to
> 100km, then
> remove the pilot (no passenger-pilot barriers
> currently
> in this plane), then pilot it down to 50,000 feet
> (probably
> still above the capabilities of Air Force
> planes/missles),
> then point it at the capitol building and let it
> free fall.
> I am doubtful that we would have the capability to
> intercept or divert it.  (The military must be going
> bonkers over the potential problems with private
> access
> to space...  Either that or their heads are in the
> sand
> just like they were with the idea that planes could
> be
> used as guided bombs.)

FAA requires analyses of proposed flight plans to
prevent precisely that scenario - albeit if it happens
by accident rather than by sabotage.  (They don't
directly care why it would happen, just that the craft
could possibly go that way.)  If there's a large
enough risk, you don't get to fly.  Try to take off
anyway and you'll likely be arrested before you can
set up at the spaceport, or shot down if you do take
off.



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