If the facts aren't on your side, bury them in paper

The BATFE ( Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) cannot present a clear and reasoned argument in court as to why ammonium perchlorate composite propellant (APCP) is an explosive (since, of course, it isn't). So the bureau is resorting to the tactic of flooding the legal battlefield with paper: NAR/TRA Lawsuit: ATF 900 page gorilla morphs into King Kong - Rocketry Planet - Oct.31.06 (via Dick Stafford). They know the rocketry groups have limited time and financial resources to respond and so hope to win by default.

Posted 11/01/06 | 22:50:01 by TopSpacer | Filed under: Space Law and Regs

Comments

Sad to see that the BATFE has dragged a fine R&D organization like the AFRL into the fray. By supporting the BATFE on this issue the AFRL is in essence destroying and stifling the future foundation that it is based on. . . creative, intuitive, scientific, invention. This should be a heads up to new-space companies not to be overly cooperative and forth-coming with FED regulation agencies. Do what is presently required and leave it at that (don't kick a sleeping dog). Some legal minded Tripoli members made bed fellows of the BATFE a few years ago and this is what it got them. I don't have a problem with the BATFE monitoring and tracking those who use APCP and ensuring that it is properly stored. However the BATFE has gone out of their way to make this a personal vendetta and attempt to destroy an already self-regulated safety conscious hobby.

Posted by Doug Gard at 11/02/06 04:48:25

Talk about throwing the baby out with the bath water! How do they ever expect us to get our kids interested in a High Tech career without our model rockets?
I would be much more concerned about people from countries like Red China that marry Americans on false pretences to get into our country, then quickly divorce them, and start making arms deals, right here on our soil, supplying Red Chinese made AK 47's to all comers! There ought to be a law preventing this kind of abuse of our system.

Posted by Tony Rusi at 11/02/06 09:28:09

Yet another brilliant coup by the BATFE. The NRA is right about these guys - talk about stupid...

Posted by tschafer at 11/02/06 20:30:08

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