### Docket Operations M-30 U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200NewJersey Ave. SE Room W12-140 WestBuilding GroundFloor Washington, DC 20590-0001 Subject: DOCKET#FAA-2014-0418 To WhomIt May Concern: October 20, 2014
\_ ., . :-;.



### Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) respectfully submits our comments in response to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Notice ofProposed Rulernaking (NPRM), Changing the Collective RiskLimits for Launches andReentries andClarifYing the RiskLimit Usedto Establish HazardAreas for Ships andAircraft, 

### published inthe Federal Register onJuly 21, 2014. 1. Launch RiskLimits ofan EL V Spac,eX.**support~** the proposed rulemaking that will aggregate the launch hazards and amend 14 CFR § 417.107(b)(1). Since the overarching concern is with public safety, the FAA proposes tb amend the regulation to focus on the collective risk and an aggregate.Ec. As the FAA discusses in the NPRM, the proposed change will eliminate the; inconsistencies·that result from the current regulation, while m1:1,intaining an appropriate focus on overall public safety. SpaceX also**appre~ia.tes** .the opportunity to express**it~** support for making the FAA's Ec requirements consistent.with other U.S. Government standards. The FANs proposed Ec value of Ec :S 1 x 10-4 is consistent with the Ec currently used in U.S. Government Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices, Range Commanders Council Document 321 10 (Common Risk Criteria for National Test Ranges), Air Force Instruction 91-217 (2010 Space Safety and Mishap Prevention Program), and NASA Technical Standard NASA-STD 8719.14 (Process for Limiting Orbital Debris). Thus, the proposed rulemakingto reguire Ec:S 

### 1. x 

## w'-4 will provide consistency. •• ' i' • . ,. • 2. RiskLimits ofReentryLicense SpaceX supports the change. that the FAA;s proposedrulemaking willmake to 14 CFR § 435.35 by eliminating the "combined" Ec. requirement for launch and reentry and separating the Ec calculations into two di.screte events: launch and reentry. SpaceX believes·it is more logical to

. . 

## .

1030 15th Street NW Suite 220 E Washington DC 20005 phone 202.649.2700 fax 202.649.2701 spacex.comroutinely separate launch from reentry risk since the two events are distinct. This replicates the approach taken by the U.S. Air Force, which, as discussed in the NPRM, imposes a requirement ofEc ::; 100 x 10-6 onlaunch and a separaterequirement @fEc ::;, 100 x 10-9 on

**r~entry** per Air Force Instruction 91-+J7 (2010 Space _Safety and Mishap ,PreveJ;ltion

**Progr~m);** This logically consistent methodology also would eliminate some of the potential infelicities that may result from combining launch and

**r~entry** risk Jlnderthe F

## AA:s current approach. Accordingly, SpaceX 'supports

**tha~**the FAA propose,d rulemaking to-treat

**l~~nch** <J.nd reentry risk

**se,.parat~ly;** it is both a more logical approach to the·"subject and· consistent' with the approach tak.en by the U.S. Air Force. · . . . ' . SpaceX also supports the FAA's proposed changes to 14 CFR § 43(35(b)(l)(i) to adopt an Ec value ofEc::; 1 x 10-4, which is consistent with the Ec used in U.S. Government Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices, Range Commanders Council Document 321 10 (Common Risk Criteria for National Test Ranges), Air Force Instruction 91-217 (2010 Space Safety and Mishap Prevention Program), and NASA Technical Standard NASA-STD 8719.14 (Process for Limiting Orbital Debris). As with the risk limit for launch, the FAA's proposed rulemaking to require Ec :S 1 x 10-4 for reentry will provide consistency. 

### Conclusion • 

### For the reasons set forth above, SpaceX strongly supports the FAA proposed rulemakitig to separate its expected number ofcasualties (Ec) 

### limits for launches and reentries and its changes to the 

## Ec limit for each. SpaceX believes the proposed rulemaking is in the public interest and will notjeopardize

**ptibli~ h,e~lth** 

### and safety, the safety or property, or any



### nat~ona~security orforeigfl'po,licy'interest



### ofth~ United



### Stat~s. · •.,. Thank you for taking the time to'



### consid~ring our views on this issue.. Please contact me at 202-649-2704 (tim.hughes@spacex.com), or Caryn Schenewerk ·

**(202~649-2707;** 

### caryn@.spacex.com) with any questions or concerns.. Sincerely, 

# n::

c.__,........-·

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**~~~** 

# ~--- **-~::;f- --~**  71// ..

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### Timothy R. ug es SVP & 

### General Counsel