With Virgin Galactic planning to fly space tourism flights from Kiruna, Sweden, the European Aviation Safety Agency has started to develop safety rules for civilian spaceflight - although the scope of the regulations will be limited, New Scientist reports.
“But the agency admits it cannot legislate for flights beyond the atmosphere: “EASA has no competency nor mandate for outer space, where international law applies.” The International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety wants a United Nations-backed global agreement that mandates safety measures in space.”
Swedish Spaceport awaits government go-ahead
Flight International
“An investigation into the national legislative needs of Spaceport Sweden has concluded that Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo could be treated as a sounding rocket.
“Spaceport Sweden is now waiting to hear from its government’s commerce ministry on whether current domestic aviation and sounding rocket law are sufficient to allow commercial spaceline Virgin Galactic to operate. A decision is due by year-end.”
How Spaceport Sweden plans for suborbital flights
Press Release
30 September 2008
Dr. Olle Norberg held his presentation at the IAC 2008 today, talking about “issues to consider in the space tourism era - how Spaceport Sweden plans for suborbital flights.”
Today’s paper had two main themes:
- an outline of the available infrastructure and services of Spaceport Sweden, and
- a discussion of a possible way to obtain a permit to fly personal spaceflight vehicles in Sweden – in the absence of a European legal framework for such flights.
Continue reading ‘Sweden Moves Toward Legal Regime to Allow Space Tourism Flights’
In what could be a substantial tax break for Sir Richard Branson and uber-rich space tourists, the Swedish government is close to classifying Virgin Galactic space tourism flights as sounding rockets.
Hyperbola’s Rob Coppinger reports that a government review has concluded there are no barriers to classifying suborbital tourism flights flown out of Spaceport Sweden as sounding rockets. Officials are hoping the Ministry of Commerce will approve the idea.
This move would be financially advantageous for both Virgin Galactic and its wealthy clientele. Space News reported earlier this year that Swedish officials were looking to put the flights into the same category as hot air balloon rides and sounding rockets because the value added tax (VAT) on these activities is lower. Otherwise, Sweden’s higher value-added taxes would kick in, adding as much as 25 percent to the $200,000 ticket.
The move would not require any changes in Swedish law, easing the way for Branson’s company to begin tourism flights from Kiruna early in the next decade. Coppinger reports that the Swedish government, which faces elections within two years, might have a difficult time getting new laws passed before the vote. The next government might not be as amenable to providing a lower tax rate for joyriding millionaires.
Swedish space officials are developing a rather creative tax regime in their efforts to lure Virgin Galactic to fly suborbital tourism flights out of Kiruna, Space News‘ Peter B. de Selding reports.
“Swedish authorities…hope to lower the costs and regulatory barriers to the operation by having it classed as a sounding rocket and given the tax advantages of hot-air balloon flights,” de Selding reports.
Virgin Galactic and Swedish Space Corp. officials discussed the plan at a press conference on April 1. As near as I can tell, this was not an April Fool’s joke, unlike a plan announced by Virgin and Google the same day to send humans on one-way trips to Mars.
The problem is Sweden’s value-added taxes, which could impose a levy of up to 25 percent on Virgin Galactic’s operations. Officials are investigating whether the tourist flights, which cost $200,000 per person, could be classified under a much lower VAT regime that covers the operations of hot-air balloons.
