Space the Next Frontier?

By now you have read or at least heard of the Virgin Galactic accident. On 31 October 2014, Space Ship Two crashed to Earth after experiencing an in-flight anomaly. Space Ship Two's tail system was supposed to have been released for deployment as the craft was traveling about 1.4 times Mach; instead, the tail section began pivoting when the vehicle was flying at Mach 1. The crash caused one fatality and one serious injury. Space Ship Two was manufactured by The Spaceship Company (TSC)

The Spaceship Company is an aerospace production company founded by Virgin Group TSC’s launch customer was Virgin Galactic. By July 2014, TSC was only halfway through the completion of a second Space Ship Two, and had commenced construction of a second White Knight Two. Virgin Galactic is a British commercial spaceflight company within the Virgin Group which hopes to provide suborbital spaceflights to space tourists, suborbital launches for space science missions, and orbital launches of small satellites. Further in the future, Virgin Galactic plans to provide orbital human spaceflights as well. 

When researching rules I came across quite a few rules and regulations. Just to show how regulated space flight is and will be here is a small sampling of already published rules;

14 CFR Parts 401, 415, 431, 435, 440 and 460, Human Space Flight Requirements for Crew and Space Flight Participants

14 CFR Parts 405 and 406 Civil Penalty Actions in Commercial Space Transportation

14 CFR Parts 401, 411, 413, 415, and 417 Commercial Space Transportation Licensing Regulations

14 CFR Parts 405 and 406, Civil Penalty Actions in Commercial Space Transportation

14 CFR Parts 401, 411, 413, 415, and 417, Commercial Space Transportation Licensing Regulations

14 CFR Parts 401, 417, and 430, Licensing and Safety Requirements for Operation of a Launch Site

14 CFR Parts 400, 401, 404, 405, 406, 413, 415, 431, 433, and 435, Commercial Space Transportation Reusable Launch Vehicle and Reentry Licensing Regulations

Space tourism seems to be a very niche market. For Virgin Galactic to make any serious money they may have to depend on its plans for suborbital launches for space science missions, and orbital launches of small satellites. Until there is a place for the tourist to go (Moon or Space Station maybe) the market will always be niche for tourism and in that case not even the general public, but more so for the affluent.

Qualifications were the hardest thing to find. According to the FAA, pilots must poses and carry an FAA pilot certificate with instrument rating. In addition, a class one medical is required.  There will be additional requirements like the ability to wear a pressure suit and operate the aircraft (fighter pilots have the edge there) and be confident in emergency procedures and quick thinking.  While these are there barest of requirements, companies will have their own standards and qualifications they will be looking for.

References:

http://commons.erau.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=ww-graduate-studies

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/regulations/