Renowned NASA Space Flight Risk Expert Dr. Feng Hsu Now Assessing Private Space Flight Risks

Boca Raton, FL (Vocus/PRWEB) February 19, 2011

With more than 90 books published and worldwide recognition for his expertise as technical advisor and leading expert of Risk and Safety Assessment and Management at several NASA centers and Brookhaven National Lab, Dr. Feng Hsu recently shared his assessment of the risks in getting the new civilian space travel industry off to a safe, successful liftoff.

“The time of this futuristic business is not quite here yet, and it could be another year or two. Even if SpaceShipTwo and Lynx tests of their spacecrafts will be on schedule successfully in the summer of 2011, there could still be some tough challenges ahead from a profitable commercial operation since there are far too many risk factors that must be overcome,” Hsu said. “A single system anomaly or mishap during test flights or even in private space flights could potentially kill the entire industry in its infancy. It is not so much of the real system risk or failure, it is all about the public’s perceived high risk of space travel.”

Mitchell J. Schultz, managing director of Xtraordinary Adventures, said he’s pleased to have the collaboration and support from Dr. Hsu on risk evaluation of suborbital space flight and space tourism: “Dr. Hsu adds a new level of expertise and connections that will not only help our company, but also help the entire private space tourism industry for taking a more realistic view and achieve some of its objectives much sooner. His whole-hearted support will also enable Xtraordinary Adventures to expand into international markets around the globe.”

Agreeing with Dr. Hsu’s assessment, Schultz, also a space tourism specialist, has written several articles about the perils of an early civilian space flight disaster as he compares the early aviation beginnings as well as the two space shuttle catastrophes. Schultz further elaborates on the focus of safety as the only real prime consideration as both Virgin Galactic and XCOR prepare to launch their commercial space business endeavors in early 2012.

With NASA planning to discontinue its space shuttle program in June 2011, the private sector will manage the development of human-carrying vehicles to enter space.

Dr. Feng Hsu,
Dr. Feng Hsu is a U.S. expert with several decades of experience in the field of Risk Analysis, Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) assessment for complex engineering systems. Formerly a staff research engineer at world renowned Brookhaven National Laboratory, Dr. Hsu has worked extensively on reliability, probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) and management theory and methodology research for nuclear reactor safety since the 1980s. He became senior staff engineer/scientist and joined NASA’s SAIC team in the Shuttle & Exploration Analysis Department at Johnson Space Center in Houston in 2000. Dr. Hsu was the lead engineering analyst and project manager working as technical expert in the space center on NASA’s key program areas, such as PRA, SMA for the Space Shuttle, International Space Station as well as the risk-informed design assessment for the new generation space launch and crew exploration vehicle systems. Dr. Hsu has published extensively and co-authored several books by CG Publishing and Aerospace Technology Working Group. For his work, Dr. Hsu has also won numerous research and service awards from NASA, among others. After several years as head of Integrated Risk Managemnt at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Dr. Hsu has decided to take on greater challnges to support the private space industry and is now senior vice president of Systems Engineering and Risk Management for Space Energy, and is fully dedicated to the development of a space solar power satellite demo project for delivering safe, permanently renewable, environmentally friendly and economically feasible space solar power for sustainable development of mankind.

Xtraordinary Adventures (http://www.XtraordinaryAdventures.com)
Xtraordinary Adventures, LLC is a two-and-a-half-year-old Florida Limited Liability Company operating from Boca Raton, Florida, and is reaching out worldwide to extend an opportunity to interested space enthusiasts and adventurers desirous of meeting with others of similar interests and for registration assistance for a high adventure rocket propelled spaceship thrill-ride into suborbital space on XCOR’s Lynx.

Xtraordinary Adventures is dedicated to providing current, factual information, innovative ideas, interesting products, gifts, trip mementos and quality service to enable discriminating participants in finding answers to satisfy their quest for space knowledge and memorable space-related experience opportunities. To this end, we are continually challenged to explore different paths in bringing this excitement and education in our unique style.

The founder of Xtraordinary Adventures, LLC is Mitchell J. Schultz, innovator, world traveler, visionary and recognized leader in the world of alternate finance, travel and media. He has also been active in charitable programs and fundraising for more than 40 years. Schultz is a certified SPACE TOURISM SPECIALIST and graduate of Space Tourism University 2010. To secure your reservation and for more information, he can be reached at (800) 358-0655 or MJS(at)XtraordinaryAdventures(dot)com.

XCOR Aerospace(http://www.XCOR.com)
XCOR Aerospace Corporation, founded in 1999, is focused on the research, development and production of safe, reliable, reusable launch vehicles, rocket engines and rocket propulsion systems being developed from its headquarters at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California. CEO Jeff Greason served on the U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee.        

In just 12 years, the firm has developed and built 11 different rocket engines and built and flown two manned rocket-powered aircraft. XCOR is now in the phased development of its next generation vehicle, the suborbital Reusable Launch Vehicle, Lynx. In addition to taking a pilot, initially former NASA Shuttle Commander Col. Rick Searfoss and one spaceflight participant to the edge of space. The vehicle will also provide affordable launch services to academic, scientific, engineering, and observation-related markets.

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