Or do they have to go through NASA?
As far as I can tell, the problem is more one of money and resources than anything else.
Here’s a story about a guy who’s building a rocket that he intends to strap himself to. It’s only supposed to go up about 35 miles, halfway to space. He seems to be having a little trouble getting FAA clearance to launch, but it doesn’t sound like anyone’s going to stop him otherwise.
http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/space/07/23/rocket.man.ap/index.html
Well, if you’ve got your own launch pad, first you need a license to operate that. In the US, this is usually issued by the state in which it operates. You’d have to check your local laws. I imagine if your launch pad was a vehicle, you might be able to avoid it.
Then, for each vehicle, all you need is a launch license from the FAA. Since you’ll be travelling thru US air space, you need thier approval, and they need to know in order to keep traffic away from the area.
And sure, it’s easy for any schmoe to launch himself into space. The real problem is getting back alive!
The problem with really getting into space is that there is a layer of trash circling the globe. You have to plan to miss all of it, and that’s one of the many considerations taken into account.
I’m sorry, I must correct myself.
It is the FAA that issues a launch site license, also.
And for both the site license and the launch license, it isn’t like qualifying for a driver’s license or a SSN. You have to show your downrange area is a safe area, demonstrate your range safety qualifications, make an environmental impact report, get local authorities’ blessings, etc., etc.
But technically, if you’ve got a match and a fuse, nobody’s going to stop you from launching… although once Bush gets his Star Wars up and running, you may have a few lasers or kill vehicles headed your way.
But you can launch a goat. 
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=41020
A St. Louis organization is sponsoring the X Prize, $1,000,000 to any group or individual who can make two flights past the outer limit of the exosphere in a vehicle of their own design without government money or support. (Whew, that was a mouthful.) So far, no one has claimed the prize.
-Brianjedi
Why not fly on by to http://www.thriftyspace.com/ ? Those guys will send you into orbit (with the power of camping gas!)
A curious fellow: Jim Bennett.
And there’s The Artemis Project.
Also, I ran across this discussion of private space ventures that includes the following:
I can’t speak to the law to which the author refers as I know nothing about it. We did have a group down here in Texas who tried a launch from Mustang Island a few years back - it was unsuccessful, and I imagine they ran all the bureaucratic traps beforehand.
If his rocket ignites, he is going to die.
Important clarification: It must be ONE, reusable, vehicle, not duplicate vehicles of identical design.
Funny you should mention Jim. I worked for him at AMROC in 1990.
Brilliant man.
Since his rocket is not designed to ignite, I’d say if he’s strapped in and it does your right.
IIRC his rocket is going to use a catilytic reaction with hydrogen peroxide and the fuel. I didn’t go into the chemistry and calculate the energy released but he claims that he will have ‘more thrust then weight’.
I used to have more thrust than weight…
SIGGHHHHHHH…
that should be peroxide as the fuel
And I believe that the two trips have to be fairly close together - I seem to recall it being 2 weeks, but could be wrong on the specific amount of time. But it is short enough to stress the “reusable” designation.
Go Go Rucketguy! Coolest thing I’ve heard of since the guy who took a weather balloon trip in his lawn chair.
Can’t find a link for it, but I could have sworn that NASA was offering a $10,000,000 dollar reward for getting into space, comming back, and going right back up within a week. Is this a different challenge? or did you forget a 0? Or, even worse, did they change the prize amount. (cheap bastards)
Nope, it isn’t sponsored by NASA. Brian was correct, it’s a group located in St. Louis. check out the X-Prize’s web site: http://www.xprize.org/
The big problem is so far they don’t have the ten million in prize money. Until they actually have it, none of the teams are willing to put much money into building their vehicles.
Eric