Randall Clague wrote:
> It sounds like TransOrbital has successfully completed the payload
> review portion of an FAA launch license application. Good for them.
>
> When FAA/AST gets applications for launch licenses and/or payload
> reviews (required for launch licenses), part of their process is
> running the applications by State, DOD, FCC, NASA, NOAA, Space
> Command, and whatever other government agency might have an interest,
> for safety and policy review and approval. TransOrbital has
> (presumably through AST, though they don't say) gotten approval from
> State and NOAA.
>
> Since TransOrbital is a U.S. company, they need a U.S. launch license
> to launch something into space themselves. It's unclear to me why or
> even whether they need a license to be launched into space on a
> Russian launcher flying out of Kazakhstan. They may not need a launch
> license, which would make a payload approval pointless.
>
> OH! And therefore easy to get! Oh, that's clever. It's pure
> marketing. "Mr. FAA, can we have a launch license?" "To launch out
> of Kazakhstan? You don't need one. Have a nice day." "OK then, can
> we have a payload approval? We're an American company." "A payload
> approval for a launch out of Kazakhstan? Why not. Send us an
> application, we'll farm it around...OK, you're approved." "Thank you
> Mr. FAA! Hey press! Look what we got!" :-)
>
> Pointless from a technical perspective, but pretty clever from a
> marketing perspective.
They'll need an export license from State before they can ship their
satellite to Russia. I've no idea why NOAA was involved.
Michael
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Wallis KF6SPF (408) 396-9037 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Clarke Broome:
"Life is a contact sport!"
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