Federal Aviation

Administration

To: REDAC NAS Ops Subcommittee

By: Dr. Michael Romanowski

 Director Commercial Space Integration

 Di Reimold

 Director Strategic Operations

 FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation

Date: March 21, 2017

Commercial Space 

Transportation (AST)

Commercial Space Transportation 

RE&D Program
Federal Aviation

Administration

2

PPT Portfolio Overview

• The Commercial Space Transportation RE&D portfolio focuses 

on enabling advances in critical areas such as:

– Safe and efficient integration of increased commercial space launch and 

reentry activity in to the national airspace

– Advanced safety assessment methods 

– Advanced vehicle safety technologies and methodologies, and

– Human space flight safety and physiology factors

• Funding enables maturation of concepts for follow-on use in 

methods, systems, operations and the regulatory framework

• Funding also sustains cooperative, innovative R&D within the 

FAA’s Commercial Space COE
Federal Aviation

Administration

3

Safe and Efficient Integration 

• Initial R&D targeting critical needs, including:

– Improving integration of launch sites (i.e., spaceports) into the NAS and its 

system of airports, including sites in the vicinity of major airports or complex airspace.

– Developing and validating improved noise models for commercial space launch 

operations at inland launch sites, including spaceports co-located with airports.

– Exploring the development of separation standards for improved airspace 

management of launch/reentry vehicles during non-explosive phases of flight.
Office of Commercial Space Transportation Federal Aviation

Administration 4

•Exploratory tool proved viability of concept; further work needed to mature

• Factors include:

 Inland/coastal

 Proximity to airports/co-location

 Proximity to critical infrastructure

 Horizontal/vertical launch

 Local airspace 

 Neighboring air & ship traffic

 Local population density

 Planned launch services

Leveraging Research: Spaceport Siting & Integration

Enable applicants to explore trade-space considerations – identifying and 

quantifying key factors for integrating spaceports in proposed locations 

Sample Program
Office of Commercial Space Transportation Federal Aviation

Administration 5

• Modelling & understanding of space vehicle noise, sonic boom, and other 

effects on environmentally sensitive areas and communities needs further work

• Gather noise measurements, validate and modify models for rocket noise 

and sonic boom

Leveraging Research: Noise
Office of Commercial Space Transportation Federal Aviation

Administration 6

• Separation of aircraft from 

airspace (aircraft hazard areas)

• Separation of aircraft from 

launch/reentry vehicles

• non-explosive flight phases 

like captive carry and 

gliding return

Leveraging Research: Separation Standards

• Research to define separation standards specific to 

launch/reentry operations:
Office of Commercial Space Transportation Federal Aviation

Administration 7

Moving Forward: Comprehensive Agency Plan to 

Integrate Commercial Space Operations into the NAS

• New FAA framework to target needed actions

‒ “New Entrants Board” – Chaired by Deputy Administrator

‒ Commercial Space Transportation – Executive Working Group 

• Development of coordinated Agency plan will drive additional R&D needs

‒ Initial Commercial Space Roadmap published in NAS Enterprise 

Architecture (EA)

o Highlights potential gaps & shortfalls

‒ Defining “Integration into the NAS”

‒ Update Space Vehicle Operations ConOps

‒ Prioritized goals, objectives: define updated, coordinated plans to 

address gaps & shortfalls 
Federal Aviation

Administration

Discussion

8