World view, a Arizona based and one of the leading stratospheric exploration and space tourism company, is said to have hired three new industry experts to establish and lead a new safety program that includes the company’s testing and safety protocols ahead of human space flights starting in 2024. The new personnel will build on World View’s existing safety protocols and risk assessment procedures that have successfully guided more than 100 uncrewed flights and remote sensing missions for commercial and government customers. In turn, the committee’s work will provide the additional measures needed for World View to begin space tourism missions in two years.
Mr. Johnson, a former NASA astronaut and blue origin executive will serve as World View’s Chief Test Pilot. Mr. Failing, the recent Director of safety at Virgin Galactic will serve as World View’s Vice President of Aviation Safety. Mr. Failing brings decades of aerospace and aviation safety expertise having implemented several safety management systems, including human factors analysis, risk mitigation, and hazard controls. Drawing from this extensive experience, Mr. Failing will oversee flight safety and the overall development of World View’s flight safety program.
Mr. Precourt who served as the Vice President and General Manager of the Propulsion Division at Northrop Grumman, also a former NASA astronaut will lead the development of World View’s independent Technical Oversight Committee, which will standardize the key safety and risk assessment protocols needed to ensure successful human flights. Mr. Precourt brings deep technical and leadership knowledge to his new role that will be essential for advancing World View’s safety standards.
“As we enter human flight, a robust and thorough safety program is one of our most serious and important initiatives,” said Ryan Hartman, World View’s President and CEO. “We have brought together a team with world-class expertise ranging from NASA Shuttle missions to aircraft safety and other aerospace programs to ensure our approach to space tourism and remote sensing is the safest and most reliable in the industry. This is a major step forward in World View’s ability to not only establish rigorous standards but demonstrate our commitment to safety as we take space tourists to the new frontier.”
