Virgin Galactic VSS Enterprise
In December 2009, Virgin Galatic (the spacebound cousin of Virgin Atlantic Airways), launched its VSS Enterprise Spacecraft. While a rash of billionaires have taken to space tourism as the next “it” thing, Virgin may bring space travel to the common man, (at least the price will drop from tens of millions to hundreds of thousands for space travel).
With the eventual movement of more people into space, how long will it be before a drunk space passenger assaults a flight attend or grabs her in an inappropriate manner? (In space, you need less alcohol to become drunk!). Who will be responsible for handling criminality committed while in space? Will there be “space marshal’s”? If terrorists garner attention by attacking civilian commercial aircraft, imagine the notoriety they would obtain via a planned attack against a newly commissioned space craft.
The current planned fleet of commercial space craft are meant to orbit the earth and return in relatively short order. But what plans have been set in place for criminal justice and order in long-term space stations or even on newly colonized planets. What will interplanetary extradition treaties look like? You think the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) process is slow now….just wait! What to do when astronauts/cosmonauts go bad? Stand by, space marshals and space cops are not far behind.
VSS Enterprise Spacecraft Unveiled
Added: December 8, 2009The VSS Enterprise is unveiled in Mojave. The spacecraft is expected to be the first commercial spacecraft when it enters service with Virgin Galactic. Arnold Schwarzenegger dubs thee with a bottle of bubbles. (Video Courtesy Virgin Galactic).
A view of the new Virgin VSS Enterprise:
