by pauldear » Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:16 pm
Wow - I turn my back for ten minutes and....
In reply to Simjam, I can say that I'm not "encouraging people to try something which is reckless, irresponsible and potentially very dangerous.". On the contrary: I am encouraging them to do something which is reckless, irresponsible and potentially fatal . However, it is also an enormous intellectual challenge and a stimulus to creativity.
The teams who have entered are all adults, and have an awareness of the risks they are taking. For once, people are being given the opportunity to try something difficult and dangerous, and in this day and age I think that's worth encouraging.
As for legality: there is a mountain of red tape to hack through, but the teams (as far as I'm aware) have risen to the challenge and are acting entirely within the law. In any event, it is a matter between themselves, their consciences, and their bail-bondsman.
As for encouraging people to develop rockets "in times like these", these teams are acting in the same traditions that pioneered the development of the airplane, and indeed of spaceflight itself. How do you think NASA got started? If you are suggesting that, because of "times like these", we should stultify the spirit of adventure in people everywhere, and deny them the right to shoot for the stars, then perhaps the "war on terror" has already been won, but by the wrong people