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A rocket is an intercontinental ballistic missile with a different flight plan. So every nuclear power want to stay ahead in the game.
by seren 10y ago
A rocket is an intercontinental ballistic missile with a different flight plan. So every nuclear power want to stay ahead in the game.
- exDM69 10y agoI think the US is just adding a self-imposed constraint that hinders their own progress. Other nations have built ICBMs and have space launch capabilities too. The US is not significanltly "ahead in the game" and their development is slowed down by hiring US citizens only in the aerospace industry. Not all rockets are practical as ICBMs. ICBMs tend to use storable (hypergolic) propellants so they can be maintained and ready to launch at short interval. Many space launch vehicles, such as those built by SpaceX, use cryogenic propellants and need to go through a time consuming (and dangerous!) propellant loading before they can be launched. (note: the Indian and the Chinese space programs use primarily solid fuel and hypergolic propellants) I'm sure SpaceX, ULA and others would be happy to recruit non-US citizens if the regulations didn't disallow it.
- greglindahl 10y agoAre there any remaining ICBMs that use liquid propellants? Liquid-fueled ICBMs vulnerable to a first strike, not to mention all those messy accidents with hypergolic fuels. Also, China's new Long March 5/6/7 rocket series reduces Chinese use of hypergolic fuels to a minimum. All 3 have now launched at least once.
- mturmon 10y agoYes. The more specific regulation is ITAR -- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Traffic_in_Arms_Regulations https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Traffic_in_Arm...