Commercially licensed launch site and reentry site operations

The Commercial Space Launch Act (CSLA) of 1984, as codified and amended at 49 U.S.C. Subtitle IX--Commercial Space Transportation, ch. 701, Commercial Space Launch Activities, 49 U.S.C. µµ 70101-70121 (the Act), authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to oversee, license, and regulate commercial launch and reentry activities and the operation of launch and reentry sites as carried out by U.S. citizens or within the United States. The Act directs the Secretary to exercise this responsibility consistent with public health and safety, safety of property, and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, and to encourage, facilitate and promote commercial space launches. The Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST), through delegation from the Secretary of Transportation, is responsible for CSLA implementation.

AST carries out its responsibility to license commercial launch and reentry site operations through regulation in Chapter 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 420 and 433. AST has issued five commercial launch site operator licenses, including one for the operation of Mojave Airport in California, the first inland reusable launch vehicle launch site operator license. This presentation will discuss the types of launch site operator licenses that the FAA grants, the process of obtaining a launch site operator license, the roles & responsibilities of the launch site operator, and some unique issues associated with a launch and reentry site operator license.