On the job safety extends to space travel

The Space-X launch today illustrates that space travel remain a very hazardous occupation. The launch went well, but the attempt to land the spent rocket stage back of the platform failed. It has been a tough year for NASA, Orbital and Space-X as the mission to privatize space exploration continues.

NASA: Safety Is Prime for Today's Launch of Antares

NASA is preparing for the launch of Orbital's Antares™ A-ONE Test Flight Mission scheduled for today at 5pm. I was a guest of NASA this week and toured the facility including the launch pad. Safety is prime for NASA and its corporate affiliates like Orbital.

Launching a space mission is a complex and massive operation. The balancing of public and mission safety concerns is extremely important. Besides the ordinary employee safety issues such as: hearing and eye protection, radio transmission frequency triggers and fire, NASA must identify and protect the public.

Unlike some other nations, the US launches its rockets near the ocean, and strictly monitors their trajectory. Any deviation from the planned flight path, ie. jeopardizing public safety, would result in the the destruction of the rocket over an isolated over-water area.

Today's planned launch will be televised on NASA TV and cane be viewed from a large area on the US Mid-Atlantic seacoast.