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ARTICLE · 29 AUGUST 2025

FAA's Informed Consent Rules Leave Space Tourists Flying Blind

Procido LLP
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The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) current informed consent framework under 14 CFR §460.45 falls dangerously short of adequately warning space flight participants (SFP) about the true risks they face...

CanadaTransport
Dana Lucas, B.A., J.D., LL.M.
Dana Lucas, B.A., J.D., LL.M.
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The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) current informed consent framework under 14 CFR §460.45 falls dangerously short of adequately warning space flight participants (SFP) about the true risks they face, particularly long-term health consequences that may not manifest until months or years after their journey.

This regulatory gap threatens both SFP safety and industry credibility as space tourism becomes mainstream.

Three fatal flaws

Today's regulations require operators to inform SFPs about the risks of space flight. This includes detailing each known hazard and risk related to launch and re-entry. However, the FAA only requires disclosure at a "general system level" with additional information beyond this being left to the operator's discretion. As such, this narrow focus creates fundamental problems that leave SFPs misunderstanding.

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