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Regulation of Private Launch Services in the United States

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National Regulation of Space Activities

Part of the book series: Space Regulations Library Series ((SPRL,volume 5))

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Abstract

Companies seeking to participate in space activities launched from the United States or otherwise involving U.S. entities and equipment must be cognizant that different aspects of such activities may be regulated by different U.S. Government agencies. Furthermore, the application of these regulatory regimes may substantially impact the timing and success of a proposed activity. This chapter provides an overview of the most significant regulations a U.S.-related space activity faces; however, practioners should review the regulations closely before engaging in any such activity.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    49 U.S.C. §§ 70101, et seq.

  2. 2.

    49 U.S.C. § 70101(b).

  3. 3.

    49 U.S.C. § 70101(a)(7).

  4. 4.

    Pub. L. No. 108–492, 118 Stat. 3974 (Dec. 23, 2004). This chapter focuses on the regulatory requirements for launch and reentry of a vehicle, and does not address the operational and safety requirements applied to human space flight. Human space flight regulations can be found in Part 460 of the FAA’s rules.

  5. 5.

    49 U.S.C. § 70105a. The FAA issued final rules creating the experimental permit regime for developmental reusable suborbital rockets on April 6, 2007. Experimental Permits for Reusable Suborbital Rockets, Final Rule, 72 Fed. Reg. 17,001 (Apr. 6, 2007).

  6. 6.

    14 C.F.R. § 413.3(a).

  7. 7.

    14 C.F.R. § 401.5.

  8. 8.

    14 C.F.R. § 413.3(b).

  9. 9.

    A U.S. entity has a controlling interest for purposes of the FAA’s regulations when it owns a sufficient “amount of equity in such [foreign] entity … to direct management of the entity or to void transactions entered into by management.” If the U.S. entity owns 51% or more of the equity in the foreign operator, a rebuttable presumption of control is created. 14 C.F.R. § 401.5 (incorporated into the definition of United States citizen).

  10. 10.

    14 C.F.R. § 413.3(c–d).

  11. 11.

    14 C.F.R. § 413.5.

  12. 12.

    14 C.F.R. § 413.15. The 180-day review period may be tolled if the FAA requests further information from the applicant.

  13. 13.

    14 C.F.R. § 413.21.

  14. 14.

    14 C.F.R. § 413.23.

  15. 15.

    49 U.S.C. § 70105(b)(3). See also 14 C.F.R. § 404.3(a)(2–3).

  16. 16.

    See, e.g., Commercial Space Transportation; Waiver of Liquid Propellant Storage and Handling Requirements for Operation of a Launch Site at the Mojave Airport in California, Notice of Waiver, 69 Fed. Reg. 41327 (July 8, 2004); Commercial Space Transportation; Waiver of Public Notice Requirement for Suborbital Rocket Launch, Notice of Waiver, 69 Fed. Reg. 19604 (April 13, 2004).

  17. 17.

    Specifically, the FAA will ask the following questions regarding the relevant pre-flight activities: (1) Are they closely proximate in time to ignition or lift-off; (2) Do they entail critical steps preparatory to initiating flight; (3) Are they unique to space launch; and (4) Are they inherently so hazardous as to warrant FAA’s regulatory oversight? If the FAA determines that the pre-flight activities do not meet all four elements of the test, a waiver may be granted. Commercial Space Transportation; Waiver of License Requirement for Blue Origin’s Pre-flight Preparatory Activities Conducted at a U.S. Launch Site, Notice of Waiver, 71 Fed. Reg. 6,2037 (October 20, 2006).

  18. 18.

    14 C.F.R. § 405.1.

  19. 19.

    14 C.F.R. § 405.3.

  20. 20.

    14 C.F.R. § 406.9(a).

  21. 21.

    14 C.F.R. § 405.5.

  22. 22.

    14 C.F.R. § 406.1.

  23. 23.

    14 C.F.R. Part 406.

  24. 24.

    See 14 C.F.R. §§ 415.13 (ELV), 431.13 (RLV), 420.45 (launch site).

  25. 25.

    14 C.F.R. Part 414.

  26. 26.

    14 C.F.R. § 414.3.

  27. 27.

    14 C.F.R. § 413.7.

  28. 28.

    14 C.F.R. § 414.9.

  29. 29.

    14 C.F.R. § 414.11.

  30. 30.

    14 C.F.R. § 413.7(d).

  31. 31.

    14 C.F.R. § 414.15.

  32. 32.

    14 C.F.R. § 414.19.

  33. 33.

    14 C.F.R. § 414.21.

  34. 34.

    14 C.F.R. § 414.25.

  35. 35.

    14 C.F.R. § 401.5. The FAA also issues reentry licenses for vehicles other than RLVs, but the application requirements mirror those for RLVs, and such reentries are subject to most of the safety and payload requirements applied to RLVs. See 14 C.F.R Part 435.

  36. 36.

    14 C.F.R. § 415.3 (ELV). See also 14 C.F.R. § 431.3 (allowing for mission-specific RLV licenses, which identify each authorized RLV flight, and operator licenses, which authorizes for two years an operator to launch and reenter any of a designated family of RLVs within authorized parameter).

  37. 37.

    14 C.F.R. § 415.25 (ELV); 14 C.F.R. § 431.25.

  38. 38.

    14 C.F.R. § 415.23 (ELV); 14 C.F.R. § 431.23 (RLV).

  39. 39.

    14 C.F.R. § 415.23(c) (ELV); 14 C.F.R. § 431.23(c) (RLV).

  40. 40.

    14 C.F.R. §§ 415.33–415.41.

  41. 41.

    14 C.F.R. § 415.31.

  42. 42.

    14 C.F.R. Part 417.

  43. 43.

    14 C.F.R. § 415.101–415.133 (ELV).

  44. 44.

    14 C.F.R. 415.107. Appendix B to Part 415 outlines the information that must be provided in the safety review document.

  45. 45.

    14 C.F.R. §§ 415.51–415.63 (ELV); 14 C.F.R. §§ 431.51–431.61 (RLV).

  46. 46.

    14 C.F.R. § 415.53 (ELV); 145 C.F.R. § 431.51(a) (RLV).

  47. 47.

    14 C.F.R. § 415.55 (ELV); 14 C.F.R. § 431.53 (RLV).

  48. 48.

    14 C.F.R. § 415.57 (ELV); 14 C.F.R. § 431.55 (RLV).

  49. 49.

    49 U.S.C. § 70112(a). In the 2004 amendments to the CSLA, Congress amended the financial responsibility section to cover flight crew and space flight participants as well as experimental permits for suborbital operations. “Crew” is defined as “any employee of a licensee … who performs activities in the course of that employment directly relating to the launch, reentry, or other operation of or in a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle that carries human beings.” 49 U.S.C. § 70102(2). A “space flight participant” is “an individual, who is not crew, carried within a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle.” 49 U.S.C. § 70102(17).

  50. 50.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.7(b). Appendix A to Part 440 identifies the information that must be submitted to request an MPL determination.

  51. 51.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.3.

  52. 52.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.9(c).

  53. 53.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.9(e).

  54. 54.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.5. Evidence of insurance must be submitted at least 30 days before commencing the licensed activity, and evidence of financial responsibility other than insurance must be submitted at least 60 days prior to commencement. 14 C.F.R. § 440.15.

  55. 55.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.9(b). The FAA also regulates the duration of insurance policies purchased to meet these financial responsibility requirements. 14 C.F.R. §§ 440.11, 440.12.

  56. 56.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.13.

  57. 57.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.17(b).

  58. 58.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.17(c). Appendices B and C to Part 440 provide an example reciprocal waiver of claims.

  59. 59.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.17(e–f). Appendix D to Part 440 provides an example reciprocal waiver for crew, and Appendix E to Part 440 provides an example reciprocal waiver for space flight participants.

  60. 60.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.15(a)(1).

  61. 61.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.19(a). The statutory authority for this shared financial responsibility sunsets on December 31, 2013. 49 U.S.C. § 70113(f).

  62. 62.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.19(c).

  63. 63.

    14 C.F.R. § 440.5(c).

  64. 64.

    14 C.F.R. Part 417 (ELV); 14 C.F.R. Part 431 (RLV).

  65. 65.

    14 C.F.R. § 417.17 (ELV); see also 14 C.F.R. § 431.79 (RLV).

  66. 66.

    14 C.F.R. § 417.19 (ELV); 14 C.F.R. § 431.85 (RLV).

  67. 67.

    14 C.F.R. § 417.13 (ELV); 14 C.F.R. § 431.75(a) (RLV).

  68. 68.

    The terms “launch accident,” “reentry accident,” “launch incident,” and “reentry incident” are defined in 14 C.F.R. § 401.5.

  69. 69.

    14 C.F.R. § 417.15 (ELV); 14 C.F.R. § 431.77 (RLV).

  70. 70.

    See Federal Aviation Administration, Commercial Space Transportation: 2008 Year in Review (January 2009), available at http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/2008%20Year%20in%20Review.pdf.

  71. 71.

    See 14 C.F.R. Part 420.

  72. 72.

    See 14 C.F.R. Part 433.

  73. 73.

    14 C.F.R. § 420.15.

  74. 74.

    14 C.F.R. § 420.29.

  75. 75.

    14 C.F.R. §§ 420.19, 420.21, 420.23, 420.25, 420.27, and 420.29.

  76. 76.

    14 C.F.R. §§ 420.53, 420.55, 420.57, 420.59, 420. 61, and 420.71.

  77. 77.

    14 C.F.R. § 420.17(a)(7).

  78. 78.

    14 C.F.R. § 420.61.

  79. 79.

    14 C.F.R. § 433.5. A reentry vehicle’s three-sigma footprint represents the area within three standard deviations of the intended landing point. 14 C.F.R. § 401.5.

  80. 80.

    The following spaceports have been licensed: California Spaceport, Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida, Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia, Mojave Air and Space Port in California, and Okalahoma Spaceport. See Federal Aviation Administration, 2007 U.S. Commercial Space Transportation Developments and Concepts: Vehicles, Technologies, and Spaceports, pp. 44–51 (January 2007), available at http://www.faa.gov/library/reports/commercial_space/dev_concepts/media/2006_dev_concepts.pdf.

  81. 81.

    Cecil Field Spaceport in Florida; Chugwater Spaceport in Wyoming; Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport in Texas; South Texas Spaceport; Spaceport Alabama; Spaceport America in New Mexico; Spaceport Sheboygan in Wisconsin; Spaceport Washington; and West Texas Spaceport. Ibid. at pp. 57–63.

  82. 82.

    See, e.g., Licensing and Safety Requirements for Launch, Final Rule, 71 Fed. Reg. 50508 (Aug. 25, 2006) (“The FAA is … responsible for encouraging, facilitating and promoting commercial space launches by the private sector.”).

  83. 83.

    Available at http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/nspd/space.html.

  84. 84.

    See U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, National Policy, “Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Commission,” Order 1110.124E (September 21, 2006), available at http://www.faa.gov/about/committees/advisory/media/order1110_124E.pdf.

  85. 85.

    See FAA website at http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/industry/advisory_committee/.

  86. 86.

    See, e.g., Federal Aviation Administration, Commercial Space Transportation: 2008 Year in Review (January 2009), available at http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/2008%20Year%20in%20Review.pdf.

  87. 87.

    Pub. L. No. 90–6629, 82 Stat. 1320 (codified at 22 U.S.C. § 27778).

  88. 88.

    The EAA, 50 U.S.C. app. §§ 2401–2420, expired on August 21, 2001. Since that time, Commerce’s authority to regulate dual-use exports has been maintained by Presidential order under IEEPA, 50 U.S.C. §§ 1701–1706.

  89. 89.

    22 C.F.R. Parts 120–130.

  90. 90.

    22 C.F.R. § 121.1.

  91. 91.

    See, e.g., Amendment to USML Category XV, 72 Fed. Reg. 39,010-11 (July 17, 2007).

  92. 92.

    See 22 C.F.R. §§ 120.6 (defining “defense article”), 120.10 (defining “technical data”). Note that technical data provided for any reason, including marketing activities or technical expositions, are subject to ITAR controls if they relate to defense articles.

  93. 93.

    The license requirements for export of defense articles are found in 22 C.F.R. Part 123.

  94. 94.

    22 C.F.R. § 123.8.

  95. 95.

    22 C.F.R. § 120.9.

  96. 96.

    See 22 C.F.R. §§ 124.1–124.12.

  97. 97.

    “Foreign person” means any natural person who is not a U.S. lawful permanent resident as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(20) or who is not a protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3). It also means any foreign corporation, business association, partnership, trust, society, or any other entity or group that is not incorporated or organized to do business in the United States, as well as international organizations, foreign governments and any agency or subdivision of foreign governments (e.g., diplomatic missions).

  98. 98.

    See 22 C.F.R. § 120.17(a)(4).

  99. 99.

    22 C.F.R. § 126.1.

  100. 100.

    22 C.F.R. § 126.1.

  101. 101.

    22 C.F.R. § 124.15.

  102. 102.

    22 C.F.R. § 124.15(a).

  103. 103.

    22 C.F.R. § 124.15(b).

  104. 104.

    15 C.F.R. Parts 730–774.

  105. 105.

    15 C.F.R. Part 774.

  106. 106.

    See Supplement 2 to Part 774.

  107. 107.

    See 15 C.F.R. § 736.2.

  108. 108.

    15 C.F.R. § 736.2(b)(5).

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  1. Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Washington, DC, USA

    Petra A. Vorwig

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  1. Petra A. Vorwig
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Correspondence to Petra A. Vorwig .

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  1. Faculty Law, McGill University, Peel Street 3690, Montreal, H3A 1X1, Québec, Canada

    Ram S. Jakhu

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Vorwig, P.A. (2010). Regulation of Private Launch Services in the United States. In: Jakhu, R. (eds) National Regulation of Space Activities. Space Regulations Library Series, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9008-9_17

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