FAA grants "Sub-Orbital licence" to SpaceShipOne

[Evo]

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, Genghis, but I found this quite interesting

http://www.faa.gov/apa/pr/pr.cfm?id=1833

Must admit that I never knew that the FAA had an Office of Commercial Space Transportation

But...

While the highest criteria to issue a license is public safety, applicants must undergo an extensive pre-application process, demonstrate adequate financial responsibility to cover any potential losses, and meet strict environmental requirements.

...may not be good for some of the other X-prize entries?

[jtr]

How high does a country's control over the air above it extend?

[Genghis the Engineer]

I seem to recall that "ownership" of the earth, by a country, starts at the centre of the earth, and ends at a Clarke orbit - hence certain countries on the equator supplementing their meagre GDPs by charging rent for GEO slots.

Where that's enshrined, or how correct I am, I've no idea.

And please don't apologise for posting about X-prize entries, I can't see that they belong anywhere else until Danny decides to start a "spaceflight" forum - which sadly I suspect isn't imminent.

G

[jtr]

And for the less gifted of us, a clarke orbit is..................22,300mi?

[Genghis the Engineer]

Arthur C Clarke, that great British science and science-fiction writer was the first person to moot the idea of using communications satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO). Those of us who are lifelong admirers of his (and a few textbooks) tend to use the term "Clarke Orbit".

And yes, I think that's about the altitude.

G

[Evo]

I used to work in a building named after Arthur C Clarke, and was lucky enough to meet him there once. The building had been opened by him "remotely" from Sri Lanka, and he had promised to come round if he was ever in the UK and had time to visit. One day he had a bit of spare time, and arrived unannounced. First I knew about it was when he arrived at my desk (it was the first one outside the lift, so he picked me to talk to!). Fascinating person, and it's a great shame that he's not more widely recognised for his work.