A proposed compromise on New Mexico’s informed consent law provides limited liability protections to spacecraft manufacturers, suppliers and operators while adding an $1 million insurance coverage requirement and altering one of the three conditions under which injured parties can sue. Only spacecraft operators such as Virgin Galactic are covered under the current law.

One of the most significant changes in the proposed law involves the removal of gross negligence as one of the conditions that would void legal protections for manufacturers, suppliers and operators. The law currently states that a spacecraft operator would be liable if it

commits an act or omission that constitutes gross negligence or willful, wanton disregard for the safety of the participant and that act or omission proximately causes injury, damage or death to the participant. [Emphasis mine]

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (NSS PR) — The National Space Society (NSS) has just launched a campaign on the popular Kickstarter internet platform for the creation of a cutting-edge film about the ways in which all of humanity benefits from the expansion of space exploration and development. This ground-breaking education initiative, entitled “Our Future in Space” is designed to bring NSS’s vision of human beings living and working in space to a broader audience.

The campaign can be accessed at our Kickstarter web page. It not only provides an opportunity to help fund and support the film’s development, but also to use the completed video to help promote the Society’s mission.

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By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor

New Mexico legislators announced last night that they had negotiated a compromise with Virgin Galactic over an informed consent bill covering passengers who will be flying aboard the company’s SpaceShipTwo vehicles from Spaceport America.

The proposed agreement comes after negotiations between Virgin Galactic officials, legislators and trial lawyers. The proposed bill, which has not yet been made public, includes a $1 million insurance coverage provision whose scope is currently unclear.

Under the informed consent law, passengers to sign a waiver absolving spacecraft operators, builders and suppliers from liability in the event of injury or death except in cases of gross negligence or intentional harm. New Mexico’s current law provides liability protections to operators, but not to builders and suppliers.

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WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program has selected 13 cutting-edge space technology payloads for flights on commercial reusable launch vehicles, balloons and a commercial parabolic aircraft in 2013 and 2014. The flights will allow participants to demonstrate their technologies to the edge of space and back, before committing them to the harsh and unforgiving conditions of spaceflight.

The vehicles that will carry these payloads will include Las Vegas-based Zero-G Corporation’s parabolic airplane and high altitude balloons from Near Space Corp. in Tillamook, Ore. They also will include reusable launch vehicles from Masten Space Systems in Mojave, Calif.; UP Aerospace in Highlands Ranch, Colo.; and Virgin Galactic in Las Cruces, N.M.

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ANTARES UPDATE January 2013 (via Orbital Sciences Corporation) Completion of cold flow testing (aka wet dress rehearsals): The Antares team has completed all but one test. The last test is expected to be completed before the end of January. “Hot Fire” test of Antares first stage: To be conducted at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), located at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. This is the last major ground test before the […]

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (DSI PR) — Deep Space Industries announced today that it will send a fleet of asteroid-prospecting spacecraft out into the solar system to hunt for resources to accelerate space development to benefit Earth.  These “FireFly” spacecraft utilize low-cost cubesat components and get discounted delivery to space by ride-sharing on the launch of larger communications satellites.
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This week on The Space Show with David Livingston…. 1. Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, 2-3:30 PM PST (5-6:30 PM EST, 4-5:30 PM CST): No show today as am teaching at UND. 2. Tuesday, January 22, 2013 7-8:30 PM PST (10-11:30 PM EST, 9-10:30 PM CST): We welcome John Strickland to the program to discuss cis-lunar space and economic development. Mr. Strickland is a long time space advocate, a member of […]

Planetary Resources President and Chief Asteroid Miner gives an update on the developments with the Arkyd-100 Space Telescope and prospecting technology demonstrator.

The Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida. (Credit: NASA)

By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor

NASA is still reviewing options on what to do with the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF), which has been largely idle since the last space shuttle touched down 18 months ago.

“Regarding your request for the Shuttle Landing Facility, NASA is currently assessing responses to the recently published Request for Information (RFI) seeking to identify entities that may be interested in maintaining and operating this National Asset,” NASA Associate Administrator L. Seth Statler wrote in a Nov. 30 letter to Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll. “A decision regarding the disposition of this asset will follow the completion of the RFI response assessment and review of the Space Florida proposal.”

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