Virgin Galactic has been declining tickets for its upcoming flight to space to Chinese citizens. Unless the interested parties have passports from Hong Kong or American green cards, they’re not permitted to fly on the SpaceShip Two craft.
Virgin Galactic has been declining tickets for its upcoming flight to space to Chinese citizens.
Unless the interested parties have passports from Hong Kong or American green cards, they’re not permitted to fly on the SpaceShip Two craft.
The restriction is due to a Cold-War era measure called the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
It was founded as a means of preventing espionage by restricting the access citizens from certain countries have to US military technologies, and rockets fall under that category.
Even though Virgin is a British company, the rule applies as the craft will be departing from the United States.
On the matter Virgin has said, "The U.S. government is giving focused attention to these and related issues, and as those considerations continue, Virgin Galactic may adapt its policies in consultation with appropriate regulators, legislators and other stakeholders."
For now, Chinese nationals wishing to buy a 250 thousand dollar seat on the sub-orbital flight are being given a couple of options.
One is that they obtain a passport from a non-restricted country. Another alternative is to acquire an American green card.
