faa.gov/space 

Part 450 Industry

Workshop – Day 3 
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Agenda 

Time Topic 

10:00 AM Opening Remarks 

10:05 AM Prescribed Hazard for Safety-Critical Hardware and Computing Systems 

§ 450.143 Safety-Critical System Design, Test, and Documentation 

§ 450.145 Highly-Reliable Flight Safety System 

10:25 AM Q&A 

10:40 PM Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

§ 450.147 Agreements 

§ 450.149 Safety-Critical Personnel Qualifications 

§ 450.151 Work Shift and Rest Requirements 

§ 450.153 Radio Frequency Management. 

§ 450.155 Readiness 

§ 450.157 Communications 

§ 450.159 Pre-flight Procedures 

§ 450.161 Control of Hazard Areas (Slides need to be moved from FSA Briefing) 

§ 450.163 Lightning Hazard Mitigation 

§ 450.165 Flight commit criteria 

§ 450.167 Tracking (Slides need to be moved from FSA Briefing) 

§ 450.177 Unique Policies, Requirements and Practices 

11:10 PM Q&A 

11:30 PM Lunch Break 

12:00 AM COLA, Safety at End of Launch 

§ 450.169 Launch and Reentry Collision Avoidance Analysis Requirements 

§ 450.171 Safety at End of Launch 

12:15 PM Q&A 

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Agenda 

Time Topic 

12:30 PM Mishap & Test Induced Damage 

§ 450.173 Mishap Plan—Reporting, Response, and Investigation Requirements. 

12:45 PM Q&A 

1:00 PM § 450.175 Test-induced Damage 

1:15 PM Q&A 

1:30 PM Break 

1:40 PM Ground Safety 

§ 450.179 Ground Safety—General. 

§ 450.181 Coordination with a Site Operator 

§ 450.183 Explosive Site Plan 

§ 450.185 Ground Hazard Analysis 

1:54 PM Q&A 

2:09 PM § 450.187 Toxic Hazards Mitigation for Ground Operations 

§ 450.189 Ground Safety Prescribed Hazard Controls 

2:25 PM Q&A 

2:40 PM Break 

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Agenda 

Time Topic 

2:50 PM Subpart D—Terms and Conditions of a Vehicle Operator License. 

§ 450.201 Public safety responsibility. 

§ 450.203 Compliance with license. 

§ 450.205 Financial responsibility requirements. 

§ 450.207 Human spaceflight requirements. 

§ 450.209 Compliance monitoring. 

§ 450.211 Continuing accuracy of license application; application for modification of 

license. 

§ 450.213 Pre-flight reporting. 

§ 450.215 Post-flight reporting. 

§ 450.217 Registration of space objects. 

§ 450.219 Records. 

3:10 PM Q&A 

3:25 PM Break 

3:35 PM Part 450 Crosswalk Mapping Tools for Legacy Operators 

4:20 PM Q&A 

4:35 PM End of Day 3 

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Prescribed Hazard for Safety-Critical 

Hardware and Computing Systems 

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Safety-Critical System Design, Test, and Documentation 

The FAA anticipates that certain 

systems will not qualify for the exception 

in § 450.143(a)(2). Specifically, safety 

critical systems that prevent hazards 

from reaching the public given other 

system failures would likely be required 

to meet § 450.143. This is also true of 

systems that create hazards to the public 

that are not otherwise mitigated by other 

hazard controls. The FAA anticipates that 

it is unlikely that an operator would be 

able to demonstrate that the hazards 

associated with these systems meet the 

“extremely remote” standard in § 

450.109(b)(3) without subjecting them to 

the reliability requirements in § 450.143. 

Furthermore, FSS required by § 

450.108(b)(2) must meet § 450.143 

without exception. 

§ 450.143 Safety-Critical System Design, Test,

and Documentation. 

(a) Applicability. This section applies to all

safety-critical systems, except for— 

(1) Highly reliable flight safety systems

covered under § 450.145; or 

(2) Safety-critical systems for which an

operator demonstrates through its flight

hazard analysis that the likelihood of any

hazardous condition specifically associated

with the system that may cause death or

serious injury to the public is extremely

remote, pursuant to § 450.109(b)(3). 

(b) Design. An operator must design safetycritical systems such that no credible fault

can lead to increased risk to the public

beyond nominal safety-critical system

operation. 

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Safety-Critical System Design, Test, and Documentation 

Valid qualification testing environments 

should: 

• Account for material variation, because all 

materials have properties that have a 

variance from nominal values. 

• Account for manufacturing variation, 

because the functionality of a system is not 

only dictated by the quality of materials 

used, but also the quality of the 

manufacturing processes employed. 

• Account for environmental variation, 

because environmental predictions can 

have a great deal of uncertainty, particularly 

early in a program. 

Operators should demonstrate margin 

against failure, because safety-critical 

systems often fail in complex and 

unpredictable ways. 

§ 450.143 Safety-Critical System Design,

Test, and Documentation. 

(c) Qualification testing of design. An 

operator must functionally demonstrate the

design of the vehicle’s safety-critical systems

at conditions beyond its predicted operating

environments. The operator must select

environmental test levels that ensure the 

design is sufficiently stressed to

demonstrate that system performance is not

degraded due to design tolerances,

manufacturing variances, or uncertainties in

the environment. 

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Safety-Critical System Design, Test, and Documentation 

Acceptance testing on flight units should 

uncover critical workmanship errors, and 

damaged, weak, or out-of-specification 

components before they fail in flight. 

Because this testing is done on flight units, 

valid acceptance testing should avoid overtesting safety-critical components. This 

avoidance is accomplished by testing 

significantly under qualification levels and 

durations, but still over nominal operation 

levels and durations 

Applicants must account for all operating 

environments that any safety-critical system 

is expected to encounter throughout the 

lifecycle of the system in accordance with § 

450.143(e), including storage, 

transportation, installation, and flight, which 

generally are built into qualification and 

acceptance testing levels. 

§ 450.143 Safety-Critical System Design, Test,

and Documentation. 

(d) Acceptance of hardware. An operator must— 

(1) Functionally demonstrate any safety-critical 

system, while exposed to its predicted operating

environments with margin, is free of defects, free of

integration and workmanship errors, and ready for 

operational use; or 

(2) Combine in-process controls and a quality

assurance process to ensure functional capability of

any safety-critical system during its service life. 

(e) Lifecycle of safety-critical systems. 

(1) The predicted operating environments must be

based on conditions predicted to be encountered in 

all phases of flight, recovery, and transportation. 

(2) An operator must monitor the flight 

environments experienced by safety-critical system 

components to the extent necessary to— 

(i) Validate the predicted operating

environments; and 

(ii) Assess the actual component life remaining 

or adjust any inspection period. 

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Safety-Critical System Design, Test, and Documentation 

The FAA requires that applicants 

describe the method used to 

validate predicted operating 

environments and any standards 

used for each safety-critical 

system. 

Explanation and details on how 

to comply with § 450.143 can be 

found in AC 450.143-1 “Safety 

Critical Systems”. Planned 

issuance Q1 2021. 

§ 450.143 Safety-Critical System Design, Test, and 

Documentation. 

(f) Application requirements. An applicant must

submit to the FAA the following as part of its

application:

(1) A list and description of each safety-critical 

system; 

(2) Drawings and schematics for each safety-critical 

system; 

(3) A summary of the analysis to determine the

predicted operating environments and duration to be

applied to qualification and acceptance testing

covering the service life of any safety-critical system;

(4) A description of any method used to validate the

predicted operating environments; 

(5) A description of any instrumentation or inspection

processes to monitor aging of any safety-critical 

system; 

(6) The criteria and procedures for disposal or

refurbishment for service life extension of safety- critical system components; and

(7) A description of the standards used in all phases

of the lifecycle of each safety-critical system. 

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Highly-Reliable Flight Safety System 

§ 450.108(b)(1) states that an 

operator must employ a highly 

reliable FSS on the vehicle or 

payload and do not mention the 

ground component of the FSS. 

Operators currently satisfy the 

design reliability requirement for 

launches conducted under part 

417 by FAA approved tailoring of 

RCC 319 and RCC 324. An 

operator could FAA approved 

tailored RCC 319 and RCC 324 to 

the FAA as a means of compliance 

for § 450.145(b). 

§ 450.145 Highly-Reliable Flight Safety

System. a) General. For each phase of flight for which an

operator must implement flight abort to meet the

requirement of § 450.108(b)(1), the operator

must use a highly reliable flight safety system on

the launch or reentry vehicle, vehicle component,

or payload with a design reliability in accordance

with this section. 

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Highly-Reliable Flight Safety System 

FSS includes any FSS located onboard a launch or 

reentry vehicle; any ground based command control 

system and associated support systems, including 

telemetry and tracking subsystems necessary to 

support a flight abort decision; and the functions of 

any personnel who operate the FSS HW or SW 

Example means of compliance for § 450.145 are: 

• Range Commanders Council Standard (RCC) 

319-19: Flight Termination Systems 

Commonality Standard 

• RCC 324-11: Global Positioning and Inertial 

Measurements Range Safety Tracking 

Systems’ Commonality Standard 

• For airborne tracking sources 

• AFSPCI 91-701: Launch and Range Safety 

Program Policy and Requirements 

• For Flight Safety System related ground 

systems 

• AFI 13-602: Ready Spacecrew Program 

Training 

• For flight abort crew 

§ 450.145 Highly-Reliable Flight Safety

System. 

b) Reliability. A highly reliable flight safety

system must, using a means of compliance

accepted by the Administrator— 

(1) Have a design reliability of 0.999 at 95

percent confidence and commensurate

design, analysis, and testing for the portion 

of the flight safety system onboard the

vehicle; and 

(2) Have a design reliability of 0.999 at 95

percent confidence and commensurate

design, analysis, and testing for the portion 

of the flight safety system not onboard the

vehicle, if used. 

(c) Monitoring. An operator must monitor the

flight environments experienced by any flight

safety system component to the extent 

necessary to— 

(1) Validate the predicted operating

environment; and 

(2) Assess the actual component life

remaining or adjust any inspection period. 

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Highly-Reliable Flight Safety System 

§ 450.145 Highly-Reliable Flight Safety System. 

(d) Application requirements. An applicant must submit the information identified below, for

any highly reliable flight safety system: 

(1) Flight safety system description. An applicant must describe the flight safety system and its

operation in detail, including all components, component functions, and possible operational

scenarios. 

(2) Flight safety system diagram. An applicant must submit a diagram that identifies all flight safety

system subsystems and shows the interconnection of all the elements of the flight safety system. The

diagram must include any subsystems used to implement flight abort both on and off the vehicle,

including any subsystems used to make the decision to abort flight. 

(3) Flight safety system analyses. An applicant must submit any analyses and detailed analysis reports

of all flight safety system subsystems necessary to calculate the reliability and confidence levels

required by paragraph (a) of this section. 

(4) Tracking validation procedures. An applicant must document and submit the procedures for

validating the accuracy of any vehicle tracking data utilized by the flight safety system to make the

decision to abort flight. 

(5) Flight safety system test plans. An applicant must submit acceptance, qualification, and preflight

test plans of any flight safety system, subsystems, and components. The test plans must include test

procedures and test environments. 

(6) Monitoring plan. An applicant must submit a description of any method used to validate the

predicted operating environments. 

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Q&A 

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Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

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Agreements 

§ 450.147 Agreements. 

(a) General. An operator must establish a written agreement with any entity

that provides a service or property that meets a requirement in this part,

including: 

The regulation identify 

various entities for 

which agreements may 

be required including a 

Federal launch range 

operator, a licensed 

launch or reentry site 

operator, any party that 

provides access to or 

use of property and 

services required to 

support a safe launch or 

reentry under part 450, 

the U.S. Coast Guard, 

and the FAA. 

(1) Launch and reentry site use agreements. A Federal launch or reentry 

site operator, a licensed launch or reentry site operator, or any other 

person that provides services or access to or use of property required to 

support the safe launch or reentry under this part; 

(2) Agreements for notices to mariners. Unless otherwise addressed in 

agreements with the site operator, for overflight of navigable water, the

U.S. Coast Guard or other applicable maritime authority to establish 

procedures for the issuance of a Notice to Mariners prior to a launch or

reentry and other measures necessary to protect public health and

safety; 

(3) Agreements for notices to airmen. Unless otherwise addressed in 

agreements with the site operator, the FAA Air Traffic Organization or

other applicable air navigation authority to establish procedures for the

issuance of a Notice to Airmen prior to a launch or reentry, for closing of

air routes during the respective launch and reentry windows, and for 

other measures necessary to protect public health and safety; and 

(4) Mishap response. Emergency response providers, including local 

government authorities, to satisfy the requirements of § 450.173. 

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FAA requires an operator to 

enter into multiple agreements if 

the operator works with multiple 

entities. Also, operators will 

continue to be required to enter 

into agreements with the 

appropriate entities for launches 

and reentries that cross 

airspace or impact water not 

under U.S. jurisdiction. 

Agreements 

§ 450.147 Agreements. 

(b) Roles and responsibilities. The agreements 

required in this section must clearly delineate

the roles and responsibilities of each party to 

support the safe launch or reentry under this 

part. 

(c) Effective date. The agreements required in

this section must be in effect before a license 

can be issued, unless otherwise agreed to by 

the Administrator. 

(d) Application requirements. An applicant 

must— 

(1) Describe each agreement in this section;

and 

(2) Provide a copy of any agreement, or

portion thereof, to the FAA upon request. 

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Safety-Critical Personnel Qualifications 

An applicant is required to 

identify in the application all 

safety-critical tasks and 

internal requirements or 

standards for personnel to 

meet prior to performing the 

identified tasks. 

An example of a means of 

compliance for § 450.149 can 

be found in §§ 415.113, 

Launch personnel certification 

program and 417.311, Flight 

safety crew roles and 

qualifications. 

§ 450.149 Safety-Critical Personnel

Qualifications. 

(a) An operator must ensure safety-critical 

personnel are trained, qualified, and capable

of performing their safety-critical tasks, and

that their training is current. 

(b) Application requirements. An applicant 

must— 

(1) Identify safety-critical tasks that require

qualified personnel; 

(2) Provide internal training and currency

requirements, completion standards, or any

other means of demonstrating compliance with

the requirements of this section; and 

(3) Describe the process for tracking training 

currency. 

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Work Shift and Rest Requirements 

The performance-based § 450.151 Work Shift and Rest Requirements. 

requirement set forth in § 450.151 (a) General. For any launch or reentry, an 

allows operators to take into operator must document and implement rest 

account such factors affecting requirements that ensure safety-critical 

crew rest and adopt mitigations personnel are physically and mentally capable

and procedures unique to each of performing all assigned tasks. 

launch operation. 

Example means of compliance for § 450.151 can be found in § 431.43(c)(4) or AFSPMAN 

91-710, Air Force Space Command Manual – Range Safety Users’ Manual. 

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Work Shift and Rest Requirements 

Section 450.151(b)(1) requires an 

operator’s rest rules to include the 

duration of each work shift and the 

process for extending this shift, 

including the maximum allowable 

length of any extension. 

Section 450.151(b)(3) requires an 

operator’s rest rules to include the 

minimum rest period required 

between each work shift, including 

the period of rest required 

immediately before the flight 

countdown work shift. Applicants 

would be required to submit their 

rest rules as part of the license 

application. 

§ 450.151 Work Shift and Rest Requirements. 

(b) Work shifts and deviation approval process. 

An operator’s rest requirements must address 

the following:

(1) Duration of each work shift and the process for

extending this shift, including the maximum

allowable length of any extension;

(2) Number of consecutive work shift days

allowed before rest is required; 

(3) Minimum rest period required— 

(i) Between each work shift, including the period of

rest required immediately before the flight 

countdown work shift; and 

(ii) After the maximum number of work shift days

allowed; and 

(4) Approval process for any deviation from the

rest requirements 

(c) Application requirements. An applicant

must submit rest rules that demonstrate 

compliance with the requirements of this 

section. 

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Radio Frequency Management 

Operators are required to ensure that 

radio frequency does not adversely 

affect the performance of FSS or 

safety-critical systems and to 

coordinate use of radio frequencies 

with any site operator and local and 

Federal authorities. 

An example of a means of compliance 

for § 450.153 can be found in § 

417.111(f), Frequency management 

plan. 

§ 450.153 Radio Frequency

Management. 

(a) General. For any radio frequency used, 

an operator must— 

(1) Ensure radio frequency interference

does not adversely affect performance

of any flight safety system or safetycritical system; and 

(2) Coordinate use of radio frequencies 

with any site operator and any local

and Federal authorities. 

(b) Application requirements. An applicant

must submit procedures or other means

to demonstrate compliance with the radio 

frequency requirements of this section. 

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Readiness 

In § 450.155(b)(2), the 

phrase “so that public 

safety is maintained” 

emphasizes developing 

criteria to determine 

readiness to proceed with 

launch or reentry, and 

clarifies that the operator 

need only identify those 

criteria that affect public 

safety. 

An example of a means 

of compliance for § 

450.155 can be found in 

§ 417.117, Reviews. 

§ 450.155 Readiness. 

(a) General. An operator must document and implement

procedures to assess readiness to proceed with the flight of a

launch or reentry vehicle. These procedures must address, at a

minimum, the following: 

(1) Readiness of vehicle and launch, reentry, or landing

site, including any contingency abort location; 

(2) Readiness of safety-critical personnel, systems,

software, procedures, equipment, property, and services;

and 

(3) Readiness to implement the mishap plan required by §

450.173. 

(b) Application requirements. An applicant must— 

(1) Demonstrate compliance with the requirements of

paragraph (a) of this section through procedures that may

include a readiness meeting close in time to flight; and 

(2) Describe the criteria for establishing readiness to 

proceed with the flight of a launch or reentry vehicle so 

that public safety is maintained. 

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Communications 

The FAA will verify compliance 

with § 450.157 during 

inspections. The inspections 

will be consistent with current 

practice, where FAA inspectors 

often review the operator’s 

final communications 

procedures. Given that 

operators do not need to 

demonstrate compliance with 

§ 450.157 at the application 

stage, operators may be 

required to revise their 

communication procedures to 

resolve issues identified during 

compliance monitoring. 

An example of a means of 

compliance for § 450.157 can 

be found in § 417.111(k), 

Communications plan. 

§ 450.157 Communications.

(a) An operator must implement communication procedures during

the countdown and flight of a launch or reentry vehicle that— 

(1) Define the authority of personnel, by individual or

position title, to issue “hold/resume,” “go/no go,” and abort

commands; 

(2) Assign communication networks so that personnel 

identified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section have direct

access to real-time, safety-critical information required to

issue “hold/resume,” “go/no go,” and any abort commands;

and 

(3) Implement a protocol for using defined radio telephone

communications terminology. 

(b) An operator must ensure the currency of the communication 

procedures, and that all personnel are working with the approved 

version of the communication procedures. 

(c) An operator must record all safety-critical communications

network channels that are used for voice, video, or data 

transmissions that support safety-critical systems during each 

countdown. 

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Pre-flight Procedures 

The FAA adopts a performance-based 

requirement in which an operator who needs 

to implement pre-flight procedures would 

verify that all flight commit criteria are 

satisfied before flight and ensure the operator 

is capable of returning the vehicle to a safe 

state after a countdown abort or delay. 

Flight commit criteria involve much more than 

the launch sequence of events, including 

interdependent conditions such as 

meteorological conditions, lightning 

protection equipment measurements, and 

status of safety system components. 

Therefore, the requirements of § 450.159 

cannot be satisfied by merely having 

operators identify the launch sequence of 

events. The FAA notes that the requirements 

for the flight commit criteria itself are clearly 

provided in § 450.165(b). 

§ 450.159 Pre-flight Procedures. 

(a) An operator must implement pre-flight

procedures that— 

(1) Verify that each flight commit

criterion is satisfied before flight is

initiated; and 

(2) Ensure the operator can return

the vehicle to a safe state after a 

countdown abort or delay. 

(b) An operator must ensure the currency of

the pre-flight procedures, and that all

personnel are working with the approved

version of the pre-flight procedures. 

An example of a means of compliance for 

§ 450.159 can be found in § 417.121, 

Safety critical preflight operations. 

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Control of Hazard Areas 

The FAA notes that the requirements 

in § 450.161 are consistent with the 

recommendations made by the 

National Academy of Sciences 

National Research Council. An 

applicant could apply conservative 

estimates of the ship traffic and 

vulnerability to demonstrate 

acceptable public risks. However the 

operators still have the option to use 

the current approach in part 417, 

where surveillance is required to 

ensure no ship is exposed to more 

than 1 × 10-5 PI

, because that would 

be sufficient to ensure compliance 

with § 450.101. 

§ 450.161 Control of Hazard Areas. 

(a) General. The operator must publicize,

survey, control, or evacuate each flight 

hazard area identified in accordance with 

§ 450.133 prior to initiating flight of a

launch vehicle or the reentry of a reentry 

vehicle to the extent necessary to ensure 

compliance with § 450.101. 

(b) Verification. The launch or reentry 

operator must perform surveillance 

sufficient to verify or update the

assumptions, input data, and results of

the flight safety analyses. 

An example of means of compliance for § 

450.161 can be found in AC 450.161-1, 

“Surveillance and Publication of Hazard Areas”. 

Planned issuance is Q2 2021. 

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Control of Hazard Areas 

§ 450.161(c) changed the previous requirement to 

“verify that the warnings have been issued” to 

“determine whether the warnings have been 

issued” because an operator cannot verify the 

warnings have been issued if the foreign Air 

Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) fails to 

publicize the warnings (despite agreeing to do so). 

Another party may determine whether the warnings 

have been issued (pursuant to the agreements the 

operator has with them). In cases in which a foreign 

ANSP does not issue the warnings in a timely 

manner, the operator must notify the FAA in 

accordance with a means of compliance accepted 

by the FAA. The means of compliance will describe 

information that the operators should communicate 

to the FAA to (1) show due diligence in the 

fulfillment of their requirements in accordance with 

agreements in place, and (2) enable FAA to issue 

warnings to U.S. aircraft. 

§ 450.161 Control of Hazard 

Areas. 

(c) Publication. An operator must

publicize warnings for each flight

hazard area, except for regions of

land, sea, or air under the control of

the vehicle operator, site operator, or

other controlling authority with which

the operator has an agreement. If the

operator relies on another entity to

publicize these warnings, it must: 

(1) Determine whether the

warnings have been issued; and 

(2) Notify the FAA if the warnings

have not been issued so that the 

FAA can determine if the launch 

or reentry can be conducted in a

manner that sufficiently protects 

the public. This notification must 

provide sufficient information to 

enable FAA to issue warnings to 

U.S. aircraft. 

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Control of Hazard Areas 

The FAA notes that the nature of 

any surveillance (in terms of 

extent and frequency) necessary 

to ensure conditions consistent 

with flight commit criteria is 

naturally linked to the level of 

control an operator can exercise 

to limit access to a flight hazard 

area. 

§ 450.161(d)(2) is necessary for 

the FAA to evaluate compliance 

with the requirements of § 

450.161(c), including verifying 

whether the warnings have been 

issued. 

§ 450.161 Control of Hazard Areas. 

(d) Application requirements. An applicant must 

submit— 

(1) A description of how the applicant will

provide for day-of-flight surveillance and

control of flight hazard areas, if necessary, to

ensure that the presence of any member of 

the public in or near a flight hazard area is

consistent with flight commit criteria

developed for each launch or reentry as

required by § 450.165(b); 

(2) A description of how the applicant will

provide for any publication of flight hazard

areas necessary to meet the requirements of 

this section; and 

(3) A description of how the applicant will

establish flight commit criteria based on the

results of its toxic release hazard analysis,

toxic containment, or toxic risk assessment

for any necessary evacuation of the public

from any toxic hazard area. 

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Lightning Hazard Mitigation 

The FAA notes that § 450.163(a) 

provides two ways for an 

operator to mitigate natural and 

triggered lightning and does not 

mandate a lightning-related 

design change. The decision to 

pursue flight commit criteria 

versus a lightning-resistant 

vehicle rests with the operator. 

An example of a means of 

compliance for § 450.163(a)(1) can 

be found in NASA-STD-4010, 

Standard for Lightning Launch 

Commit Criteria for Space Flight. 

Further explanation and details on 

how to comply with § 450.163 will 

be included in AC 450.163-1, 

“Lightning Hazard Mitigation”. 

Planned issuance is Q1 2021. 

§ 450.163 Lightning Hazard Mitigation. 

(a) Lightning hazard mitigation. An operator must— 

(1) Establish flight commit criteria that mitigate the potential

for a launch or reentry vehicle intercepting or initiating a

direct lightning strike, or encountering a nearby discharge,

using a means of compliance accepted by the Administrator; 

or 

(2) Use a vehicle designed to protect safety-critical systems 

in the event of a direct lightning strike or nearby discharge. 

(b) Application requirements. 

(1) An applicant electing to comply with paragraph (a)(1) of

this section must submit flight commit criteria that mitigate

the potential for a launch or reentry vehicle intercepting or 

initiating a direct lightning strike, or encountering a nearby 

lightning discharge. 

(2) An applicant electing to comply with paragraph (a)(2) of

this section must submit documentation providing evidence

that the vehicle is designed to protect safety-critical systems 

against the effects of a direct lightning strike or nearby

discharge. 

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Flight commit criteria 

§ 450.165 Flight commit criteria. 

(a) General. For each launch or reentry, an operator

must establish and observe flight commit criteria that

identify each condition necessary prior to flight to

satisfy the requirements of § 450.101, and must include: 

(1) Surveillance of any region of land, sea, or air in

accordance with § 450.161; 

(2) Monitoring of any meteorological condition 

necessary to— 

(i) Be consistent with any safety analysis required by this

part; and 

(ii) If necessary in accordance with § 450.163, mitigate

the potential for a launch or reentry vehicle intercepting

a direct lightning strike, or encountering a nearby

discharge; 

(3) Implementation of any launch or reentry window

closure in the launch or reentry window for the

purpose of collision avoidance in accordance with §

450.169; 

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Flight commit criteria (con’t) 

The FAA will work with 

the applicant to create 

a streamlined process 

to achieve confirmation 

that the risk to critical 

assets satisfies the 

requirements of § 

450.101(a)(4) or (b)(4). 

The FAA anticipates 

that it will generally be 

able to provide this 

confirmation well 

before the actual flight 

countdown. 

(4) Confirmation that any safety-critical system is ready

for flight; 

(5) Confirmation from the FAA that the risk to critical

assets satisfies the requirements of § 450.101(a)(4) or

(b)(4); 

(6) For any reentry vehicle, except a suborbital vehicle, 

monitoring by the operator or an onboard system that

the status of safety-critical systems is healthy before

enabling reentry flight, to assure the vehicle can reenter

safely to Earth; and 

(7) Any other hazard controls derived from any safety

analysis required by this part. 

(b) Application requirements. An applicant must submit a

list of all flight commit criteria. 

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Tracking data are generally necessary to 

ensure a proper response to an emergency, 

facilitate flight abort, obtain vehicle 

performance data for comparison with the 

preflight performance predictions in 

accordance with § 450.103(d), and facilitate 

safe and efficient integration of launch and 

reentry operations into the NAS. 

“Real time” does not mean “zero lag time.” 

The tracking must be sufficient to meet the 

requirements in § 450.167(a) to predict the 

expected impact locations and obtain 

vehicle performance data for comparison 

with pre-flight predictions. The requirement 

is not to track components to impact, but to 

allow a prediction of the impact location. 

Tracking 

§ 450.167 Tracking. (a) General. During the flight of a launch or reentry

vehicle, an operator must measure and record in real

time the position and velocity of the vehicle. The

system used to track the vehicle must provide data to 

predict the expected impact locations of all stages

and components, and to obtain vehicle performance 

data for comparison with the pre-flight performance

predictions. 

(b) Application requirements. An applicant must

identify and describe each method or system used to 

meet the tracking requirements of paragraph (a) of 

this section. 

Further explanation and details on how to 

comply with § 450.167 will be included in 

AC 450.167-1, “Tracking”. Planned 

issuance is Q3 2021. 

Example means of compliance for § 450.167 are §§ 417.113(c)(2)(iii), 417.307(b), and RCC 324-11: 

Global Positioning and Inertial Measurements Range Safety Tracking Systems’ Commonality 

Standard. 

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Unique Policies, Requirements and Practices 

The necessity for § 450.177 is the 

same as that for § 417.127. The FAA 

expects that advances in technology 

and implementation of innovations 

by launch and reentry operators will 

likely introduce new and unforeseen 

safety challenges. These advances 

and innovations can present 

regulatory challenges that are 

unforeseen in existing regulations. In 

this case, the FAA must work with 

operators on a case-by-case basis 

to identify and mitigate those unique 

hazards posed to public health and 

safety, which are not addressed by 

part 450. The FAA expects the need 

for the use of this provision to be 

rare due to the comprehensiveness 

and performance-based nature of 

part 450. 

§ 450.177 Unique Policies, Requirements and 

Practices. 

(a) Unique hazards. An operator must review operations, 

system designs, analysis, and testing, and identify any unique

hazards not otherwise addressed by this part. An operator

must implement any unique safety policy, requirement, or

practice needed to protect the public from the unique

hazard. 

(b) Unique requirements. The FAA may identify and impose a

unique policy, requirement, or practice as needed to protect

the public health and safety. 

(c) Application requirements. An applicant must— 

(1) Identify any unique safety policy, requirement, or

practice necessary in accordance with paragraph (a)

of this section, and demonstrate that each unique

safety policy, requirement, or practice protects

public health and safety. 

(2) Demonstrate compliance with each unique safety

policy, requirement, or practice imposed by the FAA

in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section. 

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Q&A 

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faa.gov/space 

On Break 

Next Session Starts at 

12:00 PM EST 
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Launch and Reentry Collision Avoidance Analysis

Requirements 

The finalized LCOLA 

rules better align 

with the existing 

processes used at 

Federal sites, 

provide adequate 

orbital safety 

measures for launch 

and reentry 

operations, and 

incorporate updated 

options for collision 

avoidance analysis. 

The FAA maintains 

that all operators 

must come into 

compliance with the 

LCOLA requirements 

by the effective date 

of this rule. 

RCS Size Range(m^2) Bin 

RCS < 0.1 Small 

0.1 < RCS < 1.0 Medium 

1.0 < RCS Large 

§ 450.169 Launch and Reentry Collision Avoidance Analysis 

Requirements.

(a) Criteria. Except as provided in paragraph (d), for an orbital or suborbital launch 

or reentry, an operator must establish window closures needed to ensure that the

launch or reentry vehicle, any jettisoned components, or payloads meet the

following requirements with respect to orbiting objects, not including any object

being launched or reentered. 

(1) For inhabitable objects, one of three criteria below must be met: 

(i) The probability of collision between the launching or reentering objects and any

inhabitable object must not exceed 1 × 10-6; 

(ii) The launching or reentering objects must maintain an ellipsoidal separation distance

of 200 km in-track and 50 km cross-track and radially from the inhabitable object; or 

(iii) The launching or reentering objects must maintain a spherical separation distance of

200 km from the inhabitable object. 

(2) For objects that are neither orbital debris nor inhabitable, one of the two criteria

below must be met: 

(i) The probability of collision between the launching or reentering objects and any

object must not exceed 1 × 10-5; or (ii) The launching or reentering objects must

maintain a spherical separation distance of 25 km from the object. 

(3) For all other known orbital debris identified by the FAA or other Federal 

Government entity as large objects with radar cross section greater than 1 m2 and 

medium objects with radar cross section 0.1 m2 to 1 m2: 

(i) The probability of collision between the launching or reentering objects and any

known orbital debris must not exceed 1 × 10-5; or (ii) The launching or reentering

objects must maintain a spherical separation distance of 2.5 km. 

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15346 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 72 / Monday, April 15, 2019 / Proposed Rules 

FIGURE 2- LAUNCH COLLISION AVOIDANCE JUSTIFICATIONS AND T IERS 

Separation 

distance 

Protect public health 

and safety Safety of property 

U.S. national security 

or foreign policy interests 

International obligations Avoid debris generation 

Inhabitable Objects .... . 200 km ..................... Yes ........................... Yes ........................... Yes ........................... Yes ........................... Yes. 

Active Satellites ......... . 25 km ....................... .................................. Yes ... ........................ Yes ........................... Yes ........................... Yes. 

Trackable Debris >10 2.5 km ...................... .................................. .................................. Yes, if it creates sig- Yes, if it creates sig- Yes. 

cm2 (LEO). 

Un-trackable Debris 

<10 cm 2 (LEO). 

Not applicable ......... . 

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, ,' ;II .,,,.,.,.,,,."' 

,; .,,,..,,,., 

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~ ~ Federal Aviation 

Administration 

--------

nificant debris. nificant debris. 

---------------

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ------ ------ ----

Protect with shielding 

& design. 

Launch and Reentry Collision Avoidance Analysis

Stand-off Distance Requirements 

2.5 

km 

25 km 200 km 

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........ _______ _ 

Aviation 

Administration 

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Launch and Reentry Collision Avoidance Analysis

Probability of Collision Requirements 

When an operator can provide sufficient covariance (as identified in 

proposed Appendix A to part 450, paragraph (d)(3)), the probability of 

its collision with an inhabitable object can be accurately calculated and 

launch window closures can be limited to only those times where actual 

high risk exists. 

10-5 10-5 

10-6 

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I 

~ 

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CIRCULAR ORBIT 

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~ ~ Federal Aviation 

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Launch and Reentry Collision Avoidance Analysis

§ 450.169(b)(1) 

requires LCOLA 

analysis only for the 

entire segment of flight 

of a suborbital launch 

vehicle above 150 km. 

Requirements 

§ 450.169 Launch and Reentry Collision Avoidance

Analysis Requirements. 

(b) Screening time. A launch or reentry operator must ensure the

requirements of paragraph (a) of this section are met as follows: 

(1) Through the entire segment of flight of a suborbital launch 

vehicle above 150 km; 

(2) For an orbital launch, during ascent from a minimum of

150 km to initial orbital insertion and for a minimum of 3 

hours from liftoff; 

(3) For reentry, during descent from initial reentry burn to 150

km altitude; and 

(4) For disposal, during descent from initial disposal burn to

150 km altitude. 

(c) Rendezvous. Planned rendezvous operations that occur within the

screening time frame are not considered a violation of collision

avoidance if the involved operators have pre-coordinated the

rendezvous or close approach. 

(d) Exception. A launch collision avoidance analysis is not required for

any launched object if the maximum planned altitude by that object is

less than 150 km. 

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.. -- --·· ·- --

~.~ ~!ll 

§(~ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Launch and Reentry Collision Avoidance Analysis

Requirements 

In performing a launch or reentry 

collision avoidance analysis 

against inhabitable objects, an 

operator may choose to stipulate 

an ellipsoidal separation 

distance, a spherical separation 

distance, or satisfy the 

probability of collision threshold 

(1 × 10−6). Collision avoidance 

analyses must also account for 

other orbital objects, such as 

spacecraft, and tracked debris. 

For these uninhabitable active 

objects, operators must satisfy 

either a less restrictive 

probability of collision threshold 

(1 × 10-5) or a spherical 

separation distance of 25 km & 

2.5 km. 

§ 450.169 Launch and Reentry Collision 

Avoidance Analysis Requirements. 

(e) Analysis. Collision avoidance analysis must be obtained for

each launch or reentry from a Federal entity identified by the

FAA, or another entity agreed to by the Administrator. 

(1) An operator must use the results of the collision 

avoidance analysis to establish flight commit criteria

for collision avoidance; and 

(2) The collision avoidance analysis must account for

uncertainties associated with launch or reentry

vehicle performance and timing, and ensure that

each window closure incorporates all additional time

periods associated with such uncertainties. 

Input Form 22 Output Closures 

Input Trajectories 

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TRAJECTORY FORMATS 

,ti,·• 

..... 

" ' ___ , 

f,I J ' 

~ ~ Federal Aviation 

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t 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Launch and Reentry Collision Avoidance Analysis

Requirements 

Trajectory files are due 

7 days prior to launch; 

15 days for first-time operators. 

Request 

Further explanation and details 

on how to comply with § 

450.167 will be included in AC 

450.169-1 Collision Avoidance 

Analysis. Planned issuance is 

Q3 2021. 

Results No Later than 3 

hours to Launch window 

7/12 days 

performed by an entity identified in paragraph (e) of this

section, no later than 3 hours before the beginning of a

T-3 Scrub T-0 launch or reentry window; and 

Request at least 12 hours (3) If an operator needs an updated collision avoidance

analysis due to a launch or reentry delay, the operator must to Launch window file the request with the entity identified in paragraph (e) of

this section and the FAA at least 12 hours prior to the

beginning of the new launch or reentry window. T-12 T-3 T-0 

§ 450.169 Launch and Reentry Collision Avoidance Analysis

Requirements.

(f) Timing and information required. An operator must prepare a

collision avoidance analysis worksheet for each launch or reentry

using a standardized format that contains the input data required 

by Appendix A to part 450, as follows: 

(1) Except as specified in paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) of this 

subsection, an operator must file the input data with an 

entity identified in paragraph (e) of this section and the FAA

at least 7 days before the first attempt at the flight of a 

launch vehicle or the reentry of a reentry vehicle. 

(i) Operators that have never received a launch or reentry

conjunction assessment from the entity identified in

paragraph (e) of this section, must file the input data at

least 15 days in advance. 

(ii) The Administrator may agree to an alternative time

frame in accordance with § 404.15; 

(2) An operator must obtain a collision avoidance analysis 

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Safety at End of Launch 

§ 450.171 provides 

requirements for the 

prevention of creating orbital 

debris, with which an 

applicant would be required 

to demonstrate compliance 

in its application. 

An example means of 

compliance for § 450.171 is 

the Inter-Agency Space 

Debris Coordination 

Committee IADC-02-01: 

IADC Space Debris 

Mitigation Guidelines 

§ 450.171 Safety at End of Launch. 

(a) Orbital Debris Mitigation. An operator must ensure for

any proposed launch that for all vehicle stages or

components that reach Earth orbit— 

(1) There is no unplanned physical contact between the

vehicle or any of its components and the payload after

payload separation; 

(2) Debris generation does not result from the conversion

of energy sources into energy that fragments the vehicle or

its components. Energy sources include chemical, pressure,

and kinetic energy; and 

(3) For all vehicle stages or components that are left in

orbit, stored energy is removed by depleting residual fuel

and leaving all fuel line valves open, venting any

pressurized system, leaving all batteries in a permanent

discharge state, and removing any remaining source of

stored energy. 

(b) Application requirement. An applicant must

demonstrate compliance with the requirements in

paragraph (a) of this section. 

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Q&A 

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Mishap and Test Induced Damage 

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Mishap - § 401.7 Definitions – Anomaly 

The FAA redefined the term ‘‘anomaly’’ and 

expanded its application to include licensed 

activities: 

• The definition clarifies what a 

‘‘problem’’ is by adding ‘‘deviates from 

what is standard, normal, or expected’’ 

to the existing definition 

• Revised definition included in § 401.7, 

removed from § 437.3. 

Anomaly means any condition during licensed or permitted activity that

deviates from what is standard, normal,

or expected, during the verification or

operation of a system, subsystem,

process, facility, or support equipment. 

Related Part 450 requirements: 

• § 450.103(d) - Post flight data review 

• § 450.131 - Probability of failure analysis. 

• § 450.215 - Post-flight reporting 

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§ 401.7 Definitions – Mishap 

Mishap means any event, or series of events associated with a licensed or permitted 

activity resulting in any of the following: 

(1) A fatality or serious injury (as defined in 49 CFR 830.2); 

(2) A malfunction of a safety-critical system; 

(3) A failure of the licensee’s or permittee’s safety organization, safety operations, safety procedures; 

(4) High risk, as determined by the FAA, of causing a serious or fatal injury to any space flight

participant, crew, government astronaut, or member of the public; 

(5) Substantial damage, as determined by the FAA, to property not associated with licensed or

permitted activity; 

(6) Unplanned substantial damage, as determined by the FAA, to property associated with licensed or

permitted activity; 

(7) Unplanned permanent loss of a launch or reentry vehicle during licensed activity or permitted 

activity; 

(8) The impact of hazardous debris outside the planned landing site or designated hazard area; or 

(9) Failure to complete a launch or reentry as planned as reported in § 450.213(b). 

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§ 401.7 Definitions – Mishap 

Examples of “high risk”: 

• The impact of hazardous 

launch debris in a populated 

public area that by random 

chance did not result in a 

serious or fatal injury; 

• Loss of vehicle control or offnominal maneuvers taken by 

a crewmember that were 

not in accordance with 

approved emergency or 

abort procedures, which did 

not result in a serious or 

fatal injury. 

Mishap means any event, or series of events associated with a

licensed or permitted activity resulting in any of the following: 

(1) A fatality or serious injury (as defined in 49 CFR 830.2); 

(2) A malfunction of a safety-critical system; 

(3) A failure of the licensee’s or permittee’s safety organization,

safety operations, safety procedures; 

(4) High risk, as determined by the FAA, of causing a serious or

fatal injury to any space flight participant, crew, government 

astronaut, or member of the public; 

(5) Substantial damage, as determined by the FAA, to property not 

associated with licensed or permitted activity; 

(6) Unplanned substantial damage, as determined by the FAA, to

property associated with licensed or permitted activity; 

(7) Unplanned permanent loss of a launch or reentry vehicle

during licensed activity or permitted activity; 

(8) The impact of hazardous debris outside the planned landing

site or designated hazard area; or 

(9) Failure to complete a launch or reentry as planned as reported 

in § 450.213(b). 

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§ 401.7 Definitions – Mishap 

Examples of “Substantial 

Damage”: 

• Structural damage to public 

property exceeding 50 

percent of its market value 

may be deemed as 

substantial damage; 

• A failed launch attempt with 

debris impacts outside a 

defined hazard area 

resulting in a post-impact 

fire and loss of a residential 

structure. 

Mishap means any event, or series of events associated with a

licensed or permitted activity resulting in any of the following: 

(1) A fatality or serious injury (as defined in 49 CFR 830.2); 

(2) A malfunction of a safety-critical system; 

(3) A failure of the licensee’s or permittee’s safety organization,

safety operations, safety procedures; 

(4) High risk, as determined by the FAA, of causing a serious or

fatal injury to any space flight participant, crew, government 

astronaut, or member of the public; 

(5) Substantial damage, as determined by the FAA, to property not 

associated with licensed or permitted activity; 

(6) Unplanned substantial damage, as determined by the FAA, to

property associated with licensed or permitted activity; 

(7) Unplanned permanent loss of a launch or reentry vehicle

during licensed activity or permitted activity; 

(8) The impact of hazardous debris outside the planned landing

site or designated hazard area; or 

(9) Failure to complete a launch or reentry as planned as reported 

in § 450.213(b). 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

In Part 450, the consolidated mishap 

definition more closely relates to the one 

uniform mishap plan. Legacy licenses will 

still adhere to the previous construct on 

definitions and plan/requirements. 

All 450 licenses, whether ELV, RLV, RV, 

launching, or reentering will adhere to the 

same set of requirements. 

Additionally, both 420 and 437 mishap 

requirements will be mapped back to 

450.173. 

Part 450 removes the mishap plan 

signature requirements, placing more 

emphasis on ensuring responsibilities are 

documented. (i.e. Who is implementing 

and participating?) 

§ 450.173 Mishap Plan—Reporting, Response, and Investigation 

Requirements. 

(a) General. An operator must report,

respond, and investigate mishaps, as defined

in § 401.7 of this chapter, in accordance with

paragraphs (b) through (g) of this section

using a plan or other written means. 

(b) Responsibilities. An operator must 

document— 

(1) Responsibilities for personnel assigned to 

implement the requirements of this section; 

(2) Reporting responsibilities for personnel

assigned to conduct investigations and for

anyone retained by the operator to conduct

or participate in investigations; and 

(3) Allocation of roles and responsibilities

between the launch operator and any site

operator for reporting, responding to, and

investigating any mishap during ground 

activities at the site. 

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Other written means – Checklists, 

electronic procedures, Service 

Contracts, and Agreements 

Mishap plan should document 

each individual’s authority and 

define lines of communication. 

The delegation of roles and 

responsibilities may be shared 

between the applicant’s 

organization and site operator, 

subject to mutual agreement. 

Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

§ 450.173 Mishap Plan—Reporting, Response, and Investigation Requirements. 

(a) General. An operator must report, respond, and

investigate mishaps, as defined in § 401.7 of this

chapter, in accordance with paragraphs (b) through

(g) of this section using a plan or other written 

means. 

(b) Responsibilities. An operator must document— 

(1) Responsibilities for personnel assigned to

implement the requirements of this section; 

(2) Reporting responsibilities for personnel

assigned to conduct investigations and for

anyone retained by the licensee to conduct or

participate in investigations; and 

(3) Allocation of roles and responsibilities

between the launch operator and any site

operator for reporting, responding to, and

investigating any mishap during ground activities

at the site. 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

The immediate and 24-hour 

mishap reporting 

requirements are consistent 

with existing requirements, 

with the exception that all 

notifications now go to a 

common source. 

§ 450.173 Mishap Plan—Reporting, Response,

and Investigation Requirements. 

(c) Mishap reporting requirements. An 

operator must— 

(1) Immediately notify the FAA Washington

Operations Center in case of a mishap that

involves a fatality or serious injury (as

defined in 49 CFR 830.2);

(2) Notify within 24 hours the FAA 

Washington Operations Center in the case of

a mishap that does not involve a fatality or

serious injury (as defined in 49 CFR 830.2);

and 

Washington Operations Center (WOC) 

Phone: (202) 267-3333 or toll-free at (800) 322-3804 

Email: 9-awa-ash-woc@faa.gov 

Fax: (202) 267-5289 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

§ 450.173 Mishap Plan—Reporting, Response, and 

Investigation Requirements.

(3) Submit a written preliminary report to the FAA Office of Commercial 

Space Transportation within five days of any mishap. The preliminary 

report must include the following information, as applicable: 

(i) Date and time of the mishap; 

Part 450 requires the (ii) Description of the mishap and sequence of events leading to 

the mishap, to the extent known; submittal of a preliminary (iii) Intended and actual location of the launch or reentry or other written report for all landing on Earth; 

mishaps. (iv) Hazardous debris impact points, including those outside a 

planned landing site or designated hazard area; 

(v) Identification of the vehicle; 

(vi) Identification of any payload; 

(vii) Number and general description of any fatalities or injuries; 

(viii) Description and estimated costs of any property damage; 

(ix) Identification of hazardous materials, as defined in § 401.7 of

this chapter, involved in the event, whether on the vehicle, any 

payload, or on the ground; 

(x) Action taken by any person to contain the consequences of the

event; (xi) Weather conditions at the time of the event; and 

(xii) Potential consequences for other similar vehicles, systems, or

operations. 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

§ 450.173 Mishap Plan—Reporting, Response, and Investigation

Requirements. 

(d) Emergency response requirements. An operator must— 

(1) Activate emergency response services to protect the public and

property following a mishap as necessary including, but not limited 

to: Part 450 consolidates (i) Evacuating and rescuing members of the public, taking into previous emergency account debris dispersion and toxic plumes; and 

response requirements (ii) Extinguishing fires; 

necessary to ensure (2) Maintain existing hazard area surveillance and clearance as

necessary to protect public safety; the public safety and (3) Contain and minimize the consequences of a mishap, including: safety of property in (i) Securing impact areas to ensure that no members of the public the event of a mishap enter; 

(ii) Safely disposing of hazardous materials; and 

(iii) Controlling hazards at the site or impact areas. 

(4) Preserve data and physical evidence; and 

(5) Implement agreements with government authorities and

emergency response services, as necessary, to satisfy the

requirements of this section. 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

Licensees continue to be responsible for 

investigating root cause, implementing 

preventative measures, and maintaining 

records. The core intent of these 

requirements have not changed. 

Part 450 removes the requirement to 

cooperate with FAA and NTSB 

investigations. 

• The FAA determined this requirement 

was duplicative. 

• Issuance of a license does not relieve 

a licensee of its obligation to comply 

with all applicable requirements of law 

or regulation, including lawful 

investigations, whether conducted by 

the FAA or another entity with 

investigative authority. 

§ 450.173 Mishap Plan—Reporting,

Response, and Investigation Requirements. 

(e) Mishap investigation requirements. In 

the event of a mishap, an operator must— 

(1) Investigate the root causes of the 

mishap; and 

(2) Report investigation results to the

FAA. 

(f) Preventative measures. An operator

must identify and implement preventive

measures for avoiding recurrence of the 

mishap prior to the next flight, unless

otherwise approved by the Administrator. 

(g) Mishap Records. An operator must

maintain records associated with the 

mishap in accordance with § 450.219(b). 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

Plan should provide for: 

• Composition of the mishap 

investigation team 

• Coordination with industry and 

government stakeholders 

• Documented method for 

determining root cause of the 

event 

• Documented description of 

the investigative review 

process 

• Detail/explanation on how 

applicable supporting analysis 

will be performed 

• Periodic updates to the FAA 

during the course of an 

investigation 

§ 450.173 Mishap Plan—Reporting, Response, and

Investigation Requirements. 

(e) Mishap investigation requirements. In the event 

of a mishap, an operator must— 

(1) Investigate the root causes of the mishap;

and 

(2) Report investigation results to the FAA. 

(f) Preventative measures. An operator must

identify and implement preventive measures for

avoiding recurrence of the mishap prior to the next

flight, unless otherwise approved by the

Administrator. 

(g) Mishap Records. An operator must maintain

records associated with the mishap in accordance

with § 450.219(b). 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

Preventative measures or 

corrective actions should not 

only address technical root 

causes, but also 

organizational root causes. 

The FAA may make a public 

safety determination 

authorizing an operator to 

return to flight prior to 

implementing preventative 

measures if no public safety 

risks are identified. 

§ 450.173 Mishap Plan—Reporting, Response, and

Investigation Requirements. 

(e) Mishap investigation requirements. In the event 

of a mishap, an operator must— 

(1) Investigate the root causes of the mishap;

and 

(2) Report investigation results to the FAA. 

(f) Preventative measures. An operator must identify

and implement preventive measures for avoiding

recurrence of the mishap prior to the next flight,

unless otherwise approved by the Administrator. 

(g) Mishap Records. An operator must maintain

records associated with the mishap in accordance

with § 450.219(b). 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

§ 450.173 Mishap Plan—Reporting, Response, and Investigation

Requirements. 

(h) Application requirements. An applicant must submit the plan or other

written means required by this section. 

Further explanation and details on how to comply with § 450.173 will be 

included in AC 450.173-1 “Mishap Reporting, Response, and 

Investigation.” Planned issuance is Q1 2021. 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

Mishap Plan Summary 

• One size fits all, single mishap plan submittal satisfies the requirements of

§§ 420.59(a), 437.41, and 450.173 – Mishap plan 

• Mishap plan signature requirement removed 

• Provides for the allocation of roles and responsibilities between launch and site 

operators 

• All mishap notifications to common source, FAA Washington Operations Center 

• Preliminary five-day written report due for all mishaps 

• Removes requirement to report to and cooperate with FAA and NTSB

investigations 

• Requires implementation of preventative measures prior to next flight, unless 

otherwise approved 

• Plan or other written means submittal acceptable 

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Test-Induced Damage Overview 

• An optional process allowing a license applicant or licensee to coordinate

potential test-induced damages with the FAA prior to the planned test activity 

taking place. 

• Some tests are designed and intended to result in failures, other tests are

aggressive in nature and damage often occurs. 

• Any test failure covered by this section would be considered test-induced 

damage and not a mishap, so long as the failure falls within the pre-coordinated 

and FAA-approved testing profile. 

• This process is similar to NASA’s test-induced damages process. 

o As defined in NPR 8621.1C (NASA Procedural Requirements for Mishap and 

Close Call Reporting, Investigating, and Recordkeeping), and 

o Tailored to satisfy the FAA’s public safety mission. 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

The test-induced damage exception is 

optional and a license applicant or 

licensee is not be required to take 

this path. However, absent a testinduced damage exception, the FAA 

would categorize an unplanned event 

during licensed test activities a 

mishap. 

The FAA does not intend the testinduced damage exception to apply 

to the operation of an entire vehicle, 

but rather the testing of specific 

components and systems. However, 

the FAA recognizes that the testing of 

specific components could result in 

significant damage to, or loss of a 

vehicle. 

§ 450.175 Test-induced damage. 

(a) Applicability. This section applies to

license applicants or operators seeking an 

optional test-induced damage exception. 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

Test-induced damage exception requires 

an operator to coordinate test activities 

with and obtain approval from the FAA 

before the planned activity. Coordinated 

with sufficient time for the FAA to 

evaluate the proposal during the license 

application or modification process 

Any event involving a serious injury or 

fatality, damage to property not 

associated with the licensed activity, or 

hazardous debris leaving the predefined 

hazard area would be treated as a mishap. 

The FAA will consider damages resulting 

from test activities that fall outside the 

scope of approved activity (e.g., before 

scheduled test activities begin or 

exceeding operation limits) as a mishap 

§ 450.175 Test-induced damage. 

(b) Coordination of potential test-induced damage. 

Test-induced damage is not a mishap if all of the

following are true: 

(1) A license applicant or operator coordinates

potential test-induced damage with the FAA

before the planned activity, and with sufficient

time for the FAA to evaluate the operator’s

proposal during the application process or as a

license modification; 

(2) The test-induced damage did not result in 

any of the following: 

(i) Serious injury or fatality (as defined in 49

CFR 830.2); 

(ii) Damage to property not associated with

the licensed activity; or 

(iii) Hazardous debris leaving the pre-defined 

hazard area; and 

(3) The test-induced damage falls within the

scope of activities coordinated with the FAA in

paragraph (b)(1) of this section. 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

To seek an exception, an applicant 

must submit the information listed in 

§ 450.175(c). Although the FAA 

anticipates the amount of time 

required to evaluate an applicant’s 

proposal will be minimal, the scope of 

review required will vary based on the 

proposed test activities and 

completeness of information provided. 

Test objectives: 

• The applicant should submit test 

objectives in a complete, clear, and 

concise manner to help the FAA 

distinguish between nominal 

operations and specific test 

objectives. 

§ 450.175 Test-induced damage. 

(c) Application requirements. An applicant

must submit the following information— 

(1) Test objectives; 

(2) Test limits; 

(3) Expected outcomes; 

(4) Potential risks, including the applicant’s

best understanding of the uncertainties in 

environments, test limits, or system

performance; 

(5) Applicable procedures; 

(6) Expected time and duration of the test; and 

(7) Additional information as required by the

FAA to ensure protection of public health and 

safety, safety of property, and the national

security and foreign policy interests of the

United States. 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

Test limits, including: 

• expected environments, 

• personnel, 

• equipment, or 

• environmental limits. 

Expected outcomes: 

• The applicant needs to identify 

expected outcomes for later 

comparison to actual outcomes. 

§ 450.175 Test-induced damage. 

(c) Application requirements. An applicant

must submit the following information— 

(1) Test objectives; 

(2) Test limits; 

(3) Expected outcomes; 

(4) Potential risks, including the applicant’s

best understanding of the uncertainties in 

environments, test limits, or system

performance; 

(5) Applicable procedures; 

(6) Expected time and duration of the test; and 

(7) Additional information as required by the

FAA to ensure protection of public health and 

safety, safety of property, and the national

security and foreign policy interests of the

United States. 

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Part 450 – Other Prescribed Hazard Controls 

Potential risks, including: 

• Applicant’s best understanding of 

the uncertainties in environments, 

• test limits, or 

• system performance. 

Applicable procedures or steps taken 

to execute the tests and the expected 

time and duration of the test would 

also be required. 

§ 450.175 Test-induced damage. 

(c) Application requirements. An applicant

must submit the following information— 

(1) Test objectives; 

(2) Test limits; 

(3) Expected outcomes; 

(4) Potential risks, including the applicant’s

best understanding of the uncertainties in 

environments, test limits, or system

performance; 

(5) Applicable procedures; 

(6) Expected time and duration of the test; and 

(7) Additional information as required by the

FAA to ensure protection of public health and 

safety, safety of property, and the national

security and foreign policy interests of the

United States. 

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Test-Induced Damage Summary 

• Test-induced damage exception process: 

o Optional process 

o Is responsive to FAA Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) and 

industry testing comments, 

o Recognizes the differences between operational missions and higher

risk experimental or test missions, 

o Allows the operator and FAA to reach a common understanding of what

events would be categorized as test-induced damage or a mishap, 

o Allows test failures without need for protracted mishap investigation,

saving time and money, and 

o Eliminates mishap notification and reporting requirements. 

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On Break 

Next Session Starts at 

1:40 PM EST 
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Ground Safety 

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Ground Safety — General 

In § 450.179 an operator 

would be required to 

protect the public from the 

adverse effects of 

hazardous operations and 

systems associated with 

preparing a launch vehicle 

for flight, returning a launch 

or reentry vehicle to a safe 

condition after flight, or 

after an aborted launch 

attempt, and returning a 

site to a safe condition. 

Explanation and details on 

how to comply with 

§ 450.179 will be included 

in AC 450.179-1, “Ground 

Safety.” Planned issuance 

is Q3 2021. 

§ 450.179 Ground Safety—General. 

(a) At a U.S. launch or reentry site, an operator must protect the public

and property from adverse effects of hazardous operations and systems

associated with— 

(1) Preparing a launch vehicle for flight; 

(2) Returning a launch or reentry vehicle to a safe condition after landing, or

after an aborted launch attempt; and 

(3) Returning a site to a safe condition. 

(b) An operator is not required to comply with §§ 450.181 through

450.189 of this part if: 

(1) The launch or reentry is being conducted from a Federal launch or reentry

site; 

(2) The operator has a written agreement with the Federal launch or reentry

site for the provision of ground safety services and oversight; and 

(3) The Administrator has determined that the Federal launch or reentry

site’s ground safety processes, requirements, and oversight are not 

inconsistent with the Secretary’s statutory authority over commercial space

activities. 

(c) In making the determination required by subparagraph (b)(3), the

Administrator will consider the nature and frequency of launch and 

reentry activities conducted from the Federal launch or reentry site,

coordination between the FAA and the Federal launch or reentry site

safety personnel, and the Administrator’s knowledge of the Federal

launch or reentry site’s requirements. 

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Ground Safety — § 450.179(b) 

An operator need not comply with 

ground safety requirements 

contained in §§ 450.181 through 

450.189 if the conditions in 

§ 450.179(b) are met. The FAA 

preserves its statutory jurisdiction 

over those ground safety activities 

that are part of launch and reentry, 

but recognizes certain Federal 

processes and procedures as 

sufficient to meet the FAA’s 

mandate. This responds to the 

direction of SPD-2, the National 

Space Council, and the 

recommendation of the ARC to 

address duplicative requirements 

across Federal agencies for 

commercial space licensing. 

§ 450.179(b) 

(b) An operator is not required to comply with §§

450.181 through 450.189 of this part if: 

(1) The launch or reentry is being conducted from a

Federal launch or reentry site; 

(2) The operator has contracted with the Federal

launch or reentry site for the provision of ground

safety services and oversight; and 

(3) The Administrator has determined that the

Federal launch or reentry site’s ground safety

processes, requirements, and oversight are not

inconsistent with the Secretary’s statutory authority

over commercial space activities. 

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Ground Safety — MOA 

If a site meets the conditions in 

§§ 450.179(b) & (c), the FAA will 

develop Memorandum of 

Agreement (MOA) with 

approved site and publish MOA 

on FAA’s website. If these 

conditions are met, operator can 

seek FAA permission during preapplication consultation to 

comply only with ground safety 

regulations imposed by the 

Federal site. 

For Federal launch or reentry 

sites or other Federal entities 

that do not satisfy the 

conditions in 

§ 450.179(b), the final rule 

retains the LSSA-like process 

in accordance with § 

450.45(b). 

§ 450.179(b) & (c) 

(b) An operator is not required to comply with §§ 450.181 through

450.189 of this part if:

(1) The launch or reentry is being conducted from a Federal launch 

or reentry site;

(2) The operator has contracted with the Federal launch or reentry

site for the provision of ground safety services and oversight; and

(3) The Administrator has determined that the Federal launch or 

reentry site’s ground safety processes, requirements, and

oversight are not inconsistent with the Secretary’s statutory

authority over commercial space activities.

(c) In making the determination required by subparagraph (b)(3),

the Administrator will consider the nature and frequency of launch 

and reentry activities conducted from the Federal launch or

reentry site, coordination between the FAA and the Federal launch

or reentry site safety personnel, and the Administrator’s

knowledge of the Federal launch or reentry site’s requirements. 

Separate from part 450, FAA has a ground safety policy that 

establishes FAA’s policy applicable to waivers of FAA ground 

safety requirements for licensed commercial launch and 

reentry activities at CCAFS, VAFB, KSC, and WFF. 

Furthermore, FAA prepared a draft launch site safety 

assessment of NASA KSC ground safety requirements. 

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Coordination with a Site Operator 

In § 450.181, Operators are 

required to coordinate with site 

operators to ensure that access 

to public sites is controlled and 

prevent unsafe interference of 

ground hazards. For a launch 

or reentry conducted from or to 

an FAA licensed site, an 

operator is required to 

coordinate mishap reporting, 

response, and investigations 

with the site operator for any 

mishap during ground activities 

at the site. Improperly 

coordinated neighboring 

operations that occur on or 

near the launch site have the 

ability to create hazards to the 

public. 

§ 450.181 Coordination with a Site Operator. (a) General. For a launch or reentry conducted from or to a

Federal launch or reentry site or a site licensed under parts 

420 or 433 of this chapter, an operator must coordinate with

the site operator to —

(1) Ensure public access is controlled where and when 

necessary to protect public safety;

(2) Ensure launch or reentry operations are coordinated with 

other launch and reentry operators and other affected 

parties to prevent unsafe interference;

(3) Designate any ground hazard area that affects the

operations of a launch or reentry site; and

(4) Ensure a prompt and effective response is undertaken in 

the event of a mishap that could impact the safety of the

public and property. 

(b) Licensed site operator. For a launch or reentry conducted

from or to a site licensed under parts 420 or 433 of this chapter, 

an operator must also coordinate with the site operator to 

establish roles and responsibilities for reporting, responding to,

and investigating any mishap during ground activities at the site.

(c) Application requirement. An applicant must describe how it is

coordinating with a Federal or licensed launch or reentry site

operator in compliance with this section. 

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Explosive Site Plan 

§ 450.183 requires an 

applicant to include an 

explosive site plan as part of 

its vehicle operator license 

application for a launch or 

reentry from or to a site 

exclusive to its own use. This 

plan would be required to 

demonstrate compliance with 

the explosive siting 

requirements in part 420. 

Explanation and details on 

how to comply with § 450.183 

will be included in AC 

450.179-1, “Ground Safety.” 

Planned issuance is Q3 2021. 

§ 450.183 Explosive Site Plan. 

(a) Explosive siting requirements. For a launch or 

reentry conducted from or to a site exclusive to its

own use, an operator must comply with the

explosive siting requirements of §§ 420.63, 420.65,

420.66, 420.67, 420.69, and 420.70 of this chapter. 

(b) Application requirement. An applicant must

submit an explosive site plan in accordance with

paragraph (a) of this section. 

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Ground Hazard Analysis 

§ 450.185 requires an operator to 

complete a ground hazard 

analysis that includes an 

assessment of the launch or 

reentry vehicle, the launch or 

reentry integrated systems, 

ground support equipment, and 

other site hardware. The analysis 

must identify hazards; include a 

risk assessment; and identify and 

describe mitigations, controls, and 

provisions for hazard control 

verification and validation. 

Explanation and details on how to 

comply with § 450.185 will be 

included in AC 450.179-1, 

“Ground Safety.” Planned 

issuance is Q3 2021. 

§ 450.185 Ground Hazard Analysis. An operator must perform and document a ground hazard 

analysis, and continue to maintain it throughout the lifecycle

of the launch or reentry system. The analysis must— 

(a) Hazard identification. Identify system and operation

hazards posed by the vehicle and ground hardware, including

site and ground support equipment. Hazards identified must

include the following: 

(1) System hazards, including: 

(i) Vehicle over-pressurization; (ii) Sudden 

energy release, including ordnance actuation; 

(iii) Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation; (iv) Fire

or deflagration; (v) Radioactive materials; (vi) 

Toxic release; (vii) Cryogens; (viii) Electrical 

discharge; and (ix) Structural failure. 

(2) Operation hazards, including: 

(i) Propellant handling and loading; (ii)

Transporting of vehicle or vehicle components; 

(iii) Vehicle testing; and (iv) Vehicle or system

activation. 

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Ground Hazard Analysis 

Operator must conduct 

a risk assessment to 

evaluate each hazard to 

determine likelihood and 

severity of that hazard. 

Operator must identify 

mitigations or controls to 

eliminate or mitigate 

severity or likelihood of 

identified hazards to 

meet qualitative 

thresholds of 

§ 450.185(c). 

A hazard control is a 

preventative or 

mitigation measure that 

reduces likelihood of 

the hazard or 

ameliorates its severity. 

§ 450.185 Ground Hazard Analysis. 

(b) Hazard assessment. Assess each hazard’s likelihood and severity. 

(c) Risk acceptability criteria. Ensure that the risk associated with each 

hazard meets the following criteria: 

(1) The likelihood of any hazardous condition that may cause death or

serious injury to the public must be extremely remote; and (2) The likelihood 

of any hazardous condition that may cause major damage to property not

associated with the launch or reentry must be remote. 

(d) Risk mitigation. Identify and describe the risk elimination and mitigation 

measures required to satisfy paragraph (c) of this section. 

(e) Validation and verification. Document that the risk elimination and 

mitigation measures achieve the risk levels of paragraph (c) of this section 

through validation and verification. Verification includes: 

(1) Analysis; (2) Test; (3) Demonstration; or (4) Inspection. 

(f) Application requirements. An applicant must submit— 

(1) A description of the methodology used to perform the ground

hazard analysis; (2) A list of all systems and operations that may cause a 

hazard involving the vehicle or any payload; and (3) The ground hazard

analysis products of paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section, including 

data that verifies the risk elimination and mitigation measures. 

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Toxic Hazards Mitigation for Ground Operations 

§ 450.187 Toxic Hazards Mitigation for

Ground Operations. 

(a) Applicability. 

(1) Except as specified in paragraph (a)(2),

this section applies to any launch or reentry 

vehicle, including all vehicle components

and payloads, that use toxic propellants or

other toxic chemicals. 

(2) No toxic release hazard analysis is 

required for kerosene-based fuels, unless

the Administrator determines that an 

analysis is required to protect public safety. 

§ 450.35(a)requires prior to application 

acceptance, a means of compliance must be 

approved by the Administrator for the following: 

(1) 450.115(b)(1) Flight Safety Analyses; 

(2) 450.139(e)(1) Toxic Hazards for Flight; 

(3) 450.145(b) Highly-Reliable Flight Safety System; 

(4) 450.163(a)(1) Lightning Hazard Mitigation; and 

(5) 450.187(e)(1) Toxic Hazards Mitigation for 

Ground Operations. 

§ 450.187(a) creates an exception from the toxic 

release hazard analysis for kerosene-based fuels 

unless the Administrator determines that an 

analysis is necessary to protect the public safety. 

FAA anticipates that such an analysis will be 

required for uses of kerosene-based fuels that are 

novel or inconsistent with standard industry 

practices. 

Although there are similarities, toxic 

hazards are divided into two sections 

because ground operations and flight 

operations have different criteria to 

establish an acceptable level of safety: 

§ 450.139 (Toxic Hazards for Flight) & 

§ 450.187 (Toxic Hazards Mitigation for 

Ground Operations) 

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Toxic Hazards Mitigation for Ground Operations 

§ 450.187(b), like § 450.139(b), 

requires an operator to manage the 

risk of casualties from exposure to 

toxic release by either containing the 

hazards or performing a toxic risk 

assessment. 

Explanation and details on how to 

comply with § 450.187 will be 

included in AC 450.139-1, “Toxic 

Hazards Analysis and Thresholds.” 

Planned issuance is Q3 2021. 

§ 450.187 Toxic Hazards Mitigation for

Ground Operations. 

(b) General. An operator must— 

(1) Conduct a toxic release hazard analysis in 

accordance with paragraph (c) of this section; 

(2) Manage the risk of casualties that could 

arise from the exposure to toxic release

through one of the following means: 

(i) Contain hazards caused by toxic release in 

accordance with paragraph (d) of this section; or 

(ii) Perform a toxic risk assessment, in 

accordance with paragraph (e) of this section,

that demonstrates compliance with the risk

criteria of § 450.185(c). 

(3) Establish ground hazard controls based on 

the results of its toxic release hazard analysis

and toxic containment or toxic risk assessment 

for any necessary evacuation of the public from

any toxic hazard area. 

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Toxic Hazards Mitigation for Ground Operations 

§ 450.187(d) requires an 

operator to manage the 

risk of casualty from the 

exposure to toxic release 

either by evacuating, or 

being prepared to 

evacuate, the public from 

a toxic hazard area, or by 

employing meteorological 

constraints. In either 

scenario, the operator 

would be required to 

ensure that the public will 

not be within a toxic area 

in the event of a worstcase release or maximum 

credible release scenario. 

§ 450.187 Toxic Hazards Mitigation for Ground Operations. (c) Toxic release hazard analysis. A toxic release hazard analysis must— 

(1) Account for any toxic release that could occur during nominal or 

non-nominal launch or reentry ground operations; 

(2) Include a worst-case release scenario analysis or a maximum- credible release scenario analysis for each process that involves a 

toxic propellant or other chemical; 

(3) Determine if toxic release can occur based on an evaluation of the 

chemical compositions and quantities of propellants, other

chemicals, vehicle materials, and projected combustion products,

and the possible toxic release scenarios; 

(4) Account for both normal combustion products and any unreacted 

propellants and phase change or chemical derivatives of released 

substances; and 

(5) Account for any operational constraints and emergency procedures 

that provide protection from toxic release. 

(d) Toxic containment. An operator using toxic containment must manage

the risk of casualty from the exposure to toxic release either by— (1) Evacuating, or being prepared to evacuate, the public from any toxic

hazard area in the event of a worst-case release or maximum 

credible release scenario; or 

(2) Employing meteorological constraints to limit a ground operation to 

times during which prevailing winds and other conditions ensure

that the public would not be exposed to toxic concentrations and

durations greater than accepted toxic thresholds for acute casualty

in the event of a worst-case release or maximum credible release 

scenario. 

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Toxic Hazards Mitigation for Ground Operations 

§ 450.187(e) contains the requirements 

for a toxic risk assessment for ground 

operations. An operator complies with 

the requirements for a toxic risk 

assessment by demonstrating no more 

than an extremely remote likelihood of 

toxic exposure causing death or 

serious injury to the public, using toxic 

concentration and duration thresholds 

accepted by the Administrator as a 

means of compliance. 

An example of a means of compliance 

for § 450.187(e)(1) can be found in 

Acute Exposure Guideline Level 2 

(AEGL-2), Emergency Response 

Planning Guidelines Level 2 (ERPG-2), 

or, Short-term Public Emergency 

Guidance Level (SPEGL) 

§ 450.187 Toxic Hazards Mitigation for Ground 

Operations.

(e) Toxic risk assessment. An operator using toxic risk

assessment must manage the risk from any toxic release

hazard and demonstrate compliance with the criteria in

§ 450.185(c). A toxic risk assessment must— 

(1) Account for airborne concentration and duration

thresholds of toxic propellants or other chemicals.

For any toxic propellant, other chemicals, or

combustion product, an operator must use airborne

toxic concentration and duration thresholds 

identified in a means of compliance accepted by the

Administrator; 

(2) Account for physical phenomena expected to 

influence any toxic concentration and duration in the

area surrounding the potential release site; 

(3) Determine a toxic hazard area for each process 

surrounding the potential release site for each toxic

propellant or other chemical based on the amount 

and toxicity of the propellant or other chemical, the

exposure duration, and the meteorological

conditions involved; 

(4) Account for all members of the public that may be

exposed to the toxic release; and 

(5) Account for any risk mitigation measures applied

in the risk assessment. 

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Toxic Hazards Mitigation for Ground Operations 

If a toxic risk assessment is 

performed, applicant must 

account for public that may be 

exposed to airborne 

concentrations above toxic 

concentration and duration 

thresholds, describe any risk 

mitigations applied in toxic risk 

assessment, describe the 

population exposure input data 

used in accordance with 

§ 450.123 (Population 

Exposure Analysis), and 

demonstrate compliance with 

applicable public risk criteria 

(for flight, the risk criteria in 

§ 450.101; for ground 

operations, the risk criteria in 

§ 450.185(c)). 

§ 450.187 Toxic Hazards Mitigation for Ground

Operations. 

(f) Application requirements. An applicant must submit: 

(1) The identity of the toxic propellant, chemical, or

combustion products or derivatives in the possible toxic

release; 

(2) The applicant’s selected airborne toxic concentration

and duration thresholds; 

(3) The meteorological conditions for the atmospheric

transport and buoyant cloud rise of any toxic release from 

its source to downwind receptor locations; 

(4) Characterization of the terrain, as input for modeling

the atmospheric transport of a toxic release from its 

source to downwind receptor locations; 

(5) The identity of the toxic dispersion model used, and

any other input data; 

(6) Representative results of an applicant’s toxic dispersion 

modeling to predict concentrations and durations at

selected downwind receptor locations, to determine the 

toxic hazard area for a released quantity of the toxic

substance; 

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Toxic Hazards Mitigation for Ground Operations 

If a toxic risk assessment 

is performed, applicant 

must account for public 

that may be exposed to 

airborne concentrations 

above toxic concentration 

and duration thresholds, 

describe any risk 

mitigations applied in 

toxic risk assessment, 

describe the population 

exposure input data used 

in accordance with 

§ 450.123 (Population 

Exposure Analysis), and 

demonstrate compliance 

with applicable public risk 

criteria (for ground 

operations, the risk 

criteria in § 450.185(c)). 

§ 450.187 Toxic Hazards Mitigation for Ground Operations. (f) Application requirements. An applicant must submit: 

(7) For toxic release hazard analysis in accordance with paragraph (c) of this

section: 

(i) A description of the failure modes and associated relative 

probabilities for potential toxic release scenarios used in the risk

evaluation; and 

(ii) The methodology and representative results of an applicant’s

determination of the worst- case or maximum-credible quantity of 

any toxic release that might occur during ground operations; 

(8) For toxic containment in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section,

identify the evacuation plans or meteorological constraints and associated

ground hazard controls needed to ensure that the public will not be within 

any toxic hazard area in the event of a worst-case release or maximum

credible release scenario. 

(9) For toxic risk assessment in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section: 

(i) A demonstration that the risk criteria in § 450.185(c) will be met; 

(ii) The population characteristics in receptor locations that are

identified by toxic dispersion modeling as toxic hazard areas; 

(iii) A description of any risk mitigation measures applied in the toxic

risk assessment; and 

(iv) A description of the population exposure input data used in 

accordance with § 450.123. 

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Ground Safety Prescribed Hazard Controls 

In § 450.189, the FAA requires an 

operator implement certain 

prescribed hazard controls during 

ground operations, in addition to 

hazard controls derived from 

ground and toxic hazard 

analyses. 

Explanation and details on how to 

comply with § 450.189 will be 

included in AC 450.179-1, 

“Ground Safety.” Planned 

issuance is Q3 2021. 

§ 450.189 Ground Safety Prescribed Hazard 

Controls. 

(a) General. In addition to the hazard controls 

derived from an operator’s ground hazard analysis

and toxic hazard analysis, an operator must

comply with paragraphs (b) through (e) of this

section. 

(b) Protection of public on the site. An operator

must document a process for protecting members

of the public who enter any area under the control

of a launch or reentry operator, including: 

(1) Procedures for identifying and tracking

the public while on the site; and 

(2) Methods the operator uses to protect

the public from hazards in accordance with

the ground hazard analysis and toxic 

hazard analysis. 

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Ground Safety Prescribed Hazard Controls 

These prescribed 

hazard controls 

require an operator 

document how it 

would protect 

members of the 

public who enter 

areas under the 

operator’s control, 

and mitigate 

hazards created by 

a countdown abort. 

They also require 

operator to establish 

plans for controlling 

fires and emergency 

procedures. 

§ 450.189 Ground Safety Prescribed Hazard Controls. 

(c) Countdown abort. Following a countdown abort or recycle operation, an

operator must establish, maintain, and perform procedures for controlling

hazards related to the vehicle and returning the vehicle, stages, or other

flight hardware and site facilities to a safe condition. When a launch vehicle

does not liftoff after a command to initiate flight was sent, an operator 

must— 

(1) Ensure that the vehicle and any payload are in a safe configuration; 

(2) Prohibit entry of the public into any identified hazard areas until the

site is returned to a safe condition; and 

(3) Maintain and verify that any flight safety system remains operational

until verification that the launch vehicle does not represent a risk of

inadvertent flight. 

(d) Fire suppression. An operator must have reasonable precautions in place

to report and control any fire caused by licensed activities. 

(e) Emergency procedures. An operator must have general emergency

procedures that apply to any emergencies not covered by the mishap plan of

§ 450.173 that may create a hazard to the public. 

(f) Application requirement. An applicant must submit the process for

protecting members of the public who enter any area under the control of a

launch or reentry operator in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section. 

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Part 450 Ground Safety

Summary 

• Part 431 does not have explicit ground safety requirements, and the ground safety

requirements in part 417 are overly prescriptive and onerous. 

• Ground hazard analysis requirements in part 450 strike a balance between the two

parts, providing additional guidance to applicants, while at the same time

preserving flexibility. 

• An operator need not comply with ground safety requirements contained in part 450 if

the conditions in § 450.179(b) are met. 

• FAA preserves its statutory jurisdiction over those ground safety activities that are

part of launch and reentry, but recognizes certain Federal processes and procedures

as sufficient to meet the FAA’s mandate. 

• Relieves duplication for Ground Safety at certain federal launch or reentry sites. 

• Separate from part 450, FAA has a ground safety policy that establishes FAA’s policy

applicable to waivers of FAA ground safety requirements for licensed commercial launch

and reentry activities at certain Federal ranges. 

• Federal ranges that currently meet the criteria for application of this policy are

CCAFS, VAFB, KSC, and WFF. 

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Part 450 Ground Safety

Summary 

• Part 450 no longer adopts the current practice that hazardous ground pre-flight

operations commence when a launch vehicle or its major components arrive a U.S. 

launch site. 

• Part 450 clarifies that activities occurring between launches of reusable vehicles will not

be considered hazardous pre-flight activities if the vehicle is in a safe and dormant state. 

• Toxic hazards are divided into two sections (§§ 450.139 & 450.187) because flight and

ground operations have different criteria to establish an acceptable level of safety: 

• A toxic risk assessment for flight must demonstrate that the quantitative safety 

criteria (e.g., 1x10-4) in § 450.101, which includes risk posed by toxic release, is met. 

• A toxic risk assessment for ground operations must demonstrate the qualitative risk 

criteria (e.g., extremely remote) in § 450.185(c) will be met. 

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Q&A 

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On Break 

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Federal Aviation Administration 

Subpart D – Terms and Conditions of 

a Vehicle Operator License 

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Public Safety Responsibility 

§ 450.201 consolidates the public 

safety responsibility requirements in 

current §§ 417.7 and 431.71(a). 

§ 450.201 Public Safety Responsibility. 

A licensee is responsible for ensuring public

safety and safety of property during the conduct

of a licensed launch or reentry. 

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Compliance with License 

§ 450.203 requirement for a 

licensee to conduct a licensed 

launch or reentry in accordance 

with representations made in its 

license application is the same, in 

substance, to §§ 417.11(a) and 

431.71(b). 

§ 450.203 Compliance with License. 

A licensee must conduct a licensed launch or 

reentry in accordance with representations

made in its license application, the

requirements of subparts C and D of this

part, and the terms and conditions

contained in the license. A licensee’s failure 

to act in accordance with the 

representations made in the license

application, the requirements of subparts C 

and D of this part, and the terms and 

conditions contained in the license, is 

sufficient basis for the revocation of a 

license or other appropriate enforcement

action. 

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Financial Responsibility Requirements 

§ 450.205 addresses how a licensee 

is responsible for financial 

responsibility requirements of part 

440. 

§ 450.205 consolidates the current 

financial responsibility requirements 

in §§ 417.21 and 431.81. 

§ 450.205 Financial Responsibility

Requirements. 

A licensee must comply with financial 

responsibility requirements as required by

part 440 of this chapter and as specified in a

license or license order. 

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Human Spaceflight Requirements 

§ 450.207 addresses how a 

licensee is responsible for human 

spaceflight requirements in part 

460. 

§ 450.207 consolidates the human 

spaceflight requirements in current 

§§ 415.8, 431.8, and 435.8. 

§ 450.207 Human Spaceflight Requirements. 

A licensee conducting a launch or reentry 

with a human being on board the vehicle

must comply with human spaceflight

requirements as required of part 460 of this

chapter and as specified in a license or

license order. 

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Compliance Monitoring 

The compliance monitoring 

requirements of § 450.209 

apply to all launch and 

reentry operations. § 450.209 

combines the compliance 

monitoring requirements of 

§§ 417.23, 431.83, and 

435.51. 

Unlike § 450.20(b) and 

§ 417.23, § 431.83 does not 

require a licensee to provide a 

console to the FAA for 

monitoring all the channels on 

the countdown communication 

network. 

§ 450.209 Compliance Monitoring. 

(a) A licensee must allow access by, and 

cooperate with, Federal officers or employees or

other individuals authorized by the FAA to

observe any of its activities, or any of its

contractors’ or subcontractors’ activities, 

associated with the conduct of a licensed launch 

or reentry. 

(b) For each licensed launch or reentry, a licensee

must provide the FAA with a console for

monitoring the progress of the countdown and 

communication on all channels of the countdown 

communications network, unless the licensee has 

another acceptable means. A licensee must also

provide the FAA with the capability to

communicate with the mission director 

designated by § 450.103(a)(1). 

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Continuing Accuracy of License Application; Application 

for Modification of License 

The FAA clarifies that normal 

pre-flight testing and 

refurbishment that are 

evaluated and accepted 

during a license application 

are not considered a material 

change. The FAA further 

clarifies that only pre-flight 

testing and refurbishment 

that is not evaluated during a 

licensing process would be 

considered a material 

change. 

§ 450.211 preserves and 

consolidates the continuing 

accuracy requirements in 

§§ 417.11 and 431.73. 

§ 450.211 Continuing Accuracy of License

Application; Application for Modification of License. 

(a) A licensee is responsible for the continuing accuracy of

representations contained in its application for the entire term of

the license. 

(b) After a license has been issued, a licensee must apply to the

FAA for modification of the license if— 

(1) The licensee proposes to conduct a launch or reentry in a

manner not authorized by the license; or 

(2) Any representation contained in the license application

that is material to public health and safety or the safety of

property is no longer accurate and complete or does not

reflect the licensee’s procedures governing the actual

conduct of a launch or reentry. A change is material to public

health and safety or the safety of property if it alters or

affects— 

(i) The class of payload; (ii) The type of launch or reentry

vehicle; (iii) The type or quantity of hazardous material; 

(iv) The flight trajectory; (v) The launch site or reentry

site or other landing site; or (vi) Any system, policy,

procedure, requirement, criteria, or standard that is

safety critical. 

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Continuing Accuracy of License Application; Application for

Modification of License 

§ 450.211 Continuing Accuracy of License Application; Application 

for Modification of License. 

(c) An application to modify a license must be prepared and submitted in 

accordance with part 413 of this chapter. If requested during the application 

process, the FAA may approve an alternate method for requesting license

modifications. The licensee must indicate any part of its license or license

application that would be changed or affected by a proposed modification. 

(d) Upon approval of a modification, the FAA issues either a written approval to the

licensee or a license order amending the license if a stated term or condition of the 

license is changed, added, or deleted. An approval has the full force and effect of a

license order and is part of the licensing record. 

§ 450.211(b) allows an applicant to request approval of an alternate method for requesting 

license modifications during the application process. 

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Pre-flight Reporting 

The FAA requires a licensee to 

provide the FAA with the following 

information prior to each launch or 

reentry: mission-specific 

information, FSA products, FSS test 

data, data required by the FAA to 

conduct a collision avoidance 

analysis, and a launch or reentry 

schedule. 

As currently required in 

§§ 417.17(b)(2) and 431.79(a), an 

operator is required to provide 

mission information to the FAA not 

less than 60 days before each 

mission conducted under the license. 

Under part 450, the FAA may also 

agree to a different time frame in 

accordance with § 404.15. 

§ 450.213 Pre-flight Reporting. 

(a) Reporting method. A licensee must send the 

information in this section as an email attachment to 

ASTOperations@faa.gov, or other method as agreed to

by the Administrator in the license. 

(b) Mission information. A licensee must submit to the 

FAA the following mission-specific information no less

than 60 days before each mission conducted under the

license, unless the Administrator agrees to a different

time frame in accordance with § 404.15 in the license, 

except when the information was provided in the license

application: 

(1) Payload information in accordance with § 450.43(i);

and 

(2) Planned mission information, including the vehicle,

launch site, planned flight path, staging and impact

locations, each payload delivery point, intended reentry or

landing sites including any contingency abort location, and 

the location of any disposed launch or reentry vehicle

stage or component that is deorbited. 

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Pre-flight Reporting 

§ 450.213 Pre-flight Reporting. 

(c) Flight abort and flight safety analysis products. A licensee must submit to the FAA updated flight abort

and flight safety analysis products, using methodologies previously approved by the FAA, for each mission 

no less than 30 days before flight, unless the Administrator agrees to a different time frame in accordance

with § 404.15 in the license. 

(1) A licensee is not required to submit the flight abort and flight safety analysis products if— 

(i) The analysis submitted in the license application satisfies all the requirements of this section; 

or 

(ii) The operator demonstrated during the application process that the analysis does not need 

to be updated to account for mission-specific factors. 

(2) If a licensee is required to submit the flight abort and flight safety analysis products, the

licensee— 

(i) Must account for vehicle- and mission-specific input data; 

(ii) Must account for potential variations in input data that may affect any analysis product

within the final 30 days before flight; 

(iii) Must submit the analysis products using the same format and organization used in its

license application; and 

(iv) May not change an analysis product within the final 30 days before flight unless the licensee

has a process, approved in the license, for making a change in that period as part of the

licensee’s flight safety analysis process. 

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The FAA is aware that 

not all test reports for 

the FSS, such as endto-end tests and preflight tests, can be 

delivered 30 days 

before flight. 

§ 450.213(d) allows an 

operator the flexibility 

to identify an 

appropriate time frame 

in coordination with the 

FAA. 

Pre-flight Reporting 

§ 450.213 Pre-flight Reporting. (d) Flight safety system test data. Any licensee that is required by § 450.101(c) to use a flight safety system to protect public safety must submit to the FAA, or

provide the FAA access to, any test reports, in accordance with approved flight 

safety system test plans, no less than 30 days before flight, unless the

Administrator agrees to a different time frame in accordance with § 404.15 in

the license. These reports must include: 

(1) A summary of the system, subsystem, and component-level 

test results, including all test failures and corrective actions

implemented;

(2) A summary of test results demonstrating sufficient margin to

predicted operating environments;

(3) A comparison matrix of the actual qualification and acceptance

test levels used for each component in each test compared

against the predicted flight levels for each environment,

including any test tolerances allowed for each test; and

(4) A clear identification of any components qualified by similarity

analysis or a combination of analysis and test. 

(e) Collision avoidance analysis. A licensee must submit to a Federal entity

identified by the FAA and to the FAA the collision avoidance information in 

Appendix A to Part 450 in accordance with § 450.169(f). 

(f) Launch or reentry schedule. A licensee must file a launch or reentry 

schedule that identifies each review, rehearsal, and safety-critical operation.

The schedule must be filed and updated in time to allow FAA personnel to

participate in the reviews, rehearsals, and safety-critical operations. 

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Post-Flight Reporting 

§ 450.215 requires an 

operator to provide the actual 

trajectory flown by the vehicle 

and, for an unguided 

suborbital launch vehicle, the 

actual impact location of all 

impacting stages and 

impacting components, if 

requested by the FAA. 

A 90 day post launch report is 

required by § 417.25. Part 

431 does not require 

operators to submit a postflight report, but they are 

required to ensure that all 

assumptions and 

representations made in their 

application are kept accurate 

and complete, in accordance 

with §§ 413.7 & 431.73(b)(2). 

§ 450.215 Post-Flight Reporting. 

(a) A licensee must submit to the FAA the information in

paragraph (b) of this section no later than 90 days after a 

launch or reentry, unless the Administrator agrees to a 

different time frame in accordance with § 404.15 of this

chapter. 

(b) A licensee must send the following information as an

email attachment to ASTOperations@faa.gov, or other

method as agreed to by the Administrator in the license: 

(1) Any anomaly that occurred during countdown or flight that is

material to public health and safety and the safety of property; 

(2) Any corrective action implemented or to be implemented after 

the flight due to an anomaly or mishap; 

(3) The number of humans on board the vehicle; 

(4) The actual trajectory flown by the vehicle, if requested by the

FAA; and 

(5) For an unguided suborbital launch vehicle, the actual impact

location of all impacting stages and impacting components, if

requested by the FAA. 

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§ 450.217 

consolidates the 

requirements for 

the registration of 

space objects that 

currently reside in 

§§ 417.19 and 

431.85. 

§ 450.217 adds a 

requirement for an 

operator to 

provide ownership 

and country of 

ownership of the 

space object. 

Registration of Space Objects 

§ 450.217 Registration of Space Objects. (a) To assist the U.S. Government in implementing Article IV of the 1975 

Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space, each 

licensee must submit to the FAA the information required by paragraph (b) 

of this section for all objects placed in space by a licensed launch, including 

a launch vehicle and any components, except any object owned and 

registered by the U.S. Government. 

(b) For each object that must be registered in accordance with this section, 

not later than 30 days following the conduct of a licensed launch, a licensee 

must file the following information: 

(1) The international designator of the space object; 

(2) Date and location of launch; 

(3) General function of the space object; 

(4) Final orbital parameters, including: 

(i) Nodal period; 

(ii) Inclination; 

(iii) Apogee; 

(iv) Perigee; and 

(5) Ownership, and country of ownership, of the space object. 

(c) A licensee must notify the FAA when it removes an object that it has 

previously placed in space. 

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§ 450.219 consolidates 

current record requirements 

in § 417.15 and 431.77. It 

requires a licensee to 

maintain for 3 years all 

records, data, and other 

material necessary to verify 

that a launch or reentry is 

conducted in accordance with 

representations contained in 

the licensee’s application, the 

requirements of part 450 

subparts C and D, and the 

terms and conditions 

contained in the license. 

Records 

§ 450.219 Records. 

(a) Except as specified in paragraph (b) of this section, a 

licensee must maintain for 3 years all records, data, and

other material necessary to verify that a launch or reentry

is conducted in accordance with representations contained

in the licensee’s application, the requirements of subparts

C and D of this part, and the terms and conditions

contained in the license. 

(b) For an event that meets any of paragraphs (1) through

(5) or paragraph (8) of the definition of “mishap” in §

401.7 of this chapter, a licensee must preserve all records 

related to the event. Records must be retained until 

completion of any Federal investigation and the FAA 

advises the licensee that the records need not be retained. 

The licensee must make all records required to be

maintained under the regulations available to Federal

officials for inspection and copying. 

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Q&A 

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On Break 

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Federal Aviation Administration 

Crosswalk That Compares Part 450 to 

Legacy Regulations in Parts 415, 417, 

431, and 435 

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Purpose of Crosswalk 

• Crosswalk* maps the Streamlined Launch and Reentry Licensing Requirements

rule (viz., part 450) to related or similar legacy regulations in parts 415, 417,

431, and 435. 

• Crosswalk is intended to assist operators to transition to part 450. 

• Operators are encouraged to examine part 450 regulations to identify 

areas in which greater flexibility has been provided from more

prescriptive requirements under legacy regulations. 

• Many previously submitted materials will satisfy part 450 requirements;

however, operators should not assume submission of previous material 

will in all instances meet new part 450 requirements. 

*Crosswalk table is available at 

https://www.faa.gov/space/streamlined_licensing_process/ 

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Live Demo of Crosswalk Table 

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When Part 450 Becomes Effective 

• Legacy operators holding an active license under parts 415/417, 431, and 435: 

• Must comply with § 450.169 for collision avoidance analysis (COLA) and

§§ 450.101(a)(4) and (b)(4) for critical asset protection once part 450 becomes

effective. 

• Have five years after effective date of part 450 to come into compliance with

entirety of part 450. 

• May continue operating under legacy provisions or initiate transition to part 450. 

• May seek a renewal under legacy provisions, but renewal will only be valid for

time that remains between time of issuance of renewal and end of five-year

period. 

• May modify its legacy license per §§ 417.11 or 431.73; whether new license

modifications need to comply with part 450 is subject to FAA approval on a caseby-case basis. 

• FAA will consider extent and complexity of modification, whether licensee would need 

to modify multiple parts of application, or if license requires significant reevaluation. 

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When Part 450 Becomes Effective cont’d 

• Applicants with an accepted license application awaiting a license

determination: 

• May continue to seek a launch or reentry license to operate under parts 415, 417,

431, or 435. 

• Prospective applicants in pre-application consultation: 

• May apply for a license to operate under parts 415, 417, 431, or 435 if license

application is accepted no later than 90 days after effective date of part 450. 

• May apply for a vehicle operator license under part 450. 

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Overall Comparison 

• Performance-based part 450 consolidates, updates, and streamlines 

requirements currently contained in parts 415 and 417 for the launch of an ELV,

in part 431 for launch and reentry of an RLV, and in part 435 for reentry of a

reentry vehicle other than an RLV. 

• Legacy regulations are based largely on distinction between expendable and 

reusable launch vehicles. 

• Part 415 and 417 regulations for ELV launches are too prescriptive and are based

on Federal launch range standards developed in 1990s. 

• Parts 431 and 435 are primarily process-based, relying on a license applicant to

derive safety requirements through a system safety process 

• Regulations in these parts are too general, lacking regulatory clarity in

certain areas. 

• Part 450 converts many of the legacy prescriptive requirements to more

performance-based requirements to allow for flexible means of compliance to

accommodate customized operations and evolving technologies. 

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Pa

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Administration 

 

 

 

 

 

Part 450 Consolidates & Streamlines 

Part 

435 

Part 

431 

Part 

415 

Part 

417 

Legacy Regulations 

• Part 415 – Launch License for expendable 

launch vehicle 

• Part 417 – Launch Safety ( ELV) 

• Part 431 – Launch and 

Reentry of a Reusable

Launch Vehicle (RLV) 

• Part 435 – Reentry of a

Reentry Vehicle Other than 

an RLV 

Part 

450 

Part 450 streamlines and 

combines best elements 

of parts 415, 417, 431, 

and 435 into a single 

performance-based part 

450 that covers both 

launch and reentry. 

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Similarities and Differences 

Performance-based 

requirements allow for 

flexible means of 

compliance especially those 

associated with Safety 

Review. 

Prescriptive requirements 

pertaining to Safety Review 

(e.g., flight safety system 

(FSS), flight safety analysis 

(FSA), and ground safety). 

Part 450 

Parts 

431 & 

435 

Parts 415 & 

417 

Part 450 retains five key 

components of license 

application review. In 

general, four of these 

components (policy review, 

payload review, 

environmental review, and 

financial responsibility 

requirements) are similar. 

Too general, lacking 

regulatory clarity in 

certain areas related to 

Safety Review (e.g., FSS, 

FSA, ground safety, 

software safety). Rely 

heavily on deriving safety 

requirements through a 

system safety process. 

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tion Pre-app ) \ lica 

Consultat ion 

I I I Policy Review 

lnterag;ency I 

Applicat I I Consultation 

Payload Review 

ion ------4 

Safety Review 

/' 

I MPL Determination I 

I 1Environmental Finding I 

~ ~ Federal Aviation 

Administration 

' 

- License 

Post-licensing 

Requirements 

& 

Safety Inspections 

 

 

 

Key Components of License Application Review 

Major differences 

between part 450 

and legacy parts are 

the Safety Reviewrelated requirements, 

where those in part 

450 provide more 

clarity than part 

431/435 and are less 

prescriptive than part 

415/417 

Part 450 retains five 

key components of 

license application 

review that also 

apply to legacy 

parts. 

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Overall Comparison 

• Part 431 does not contain specificity regarding computing systems, qualification

of flight safety systems, acceptable methods for flight safety analysis, and

ground safety requirements. 

• At times, FAA used more detailed part 417 requirements to inform parts 431 and

435 or to fill regulatory gaps by adopting part 417 requirements in practice. 

• Part 450 incorporates flexibility of parts 431 and 435, but is more explicit in 

acknowledging acceptability of other hazard control strategies and prescribing

certain hazard controls under safety requirements of part 450. 

• Part 450 converts many prescriptive requirements of parts 415 and 417 to be

more performance-based to allow for flexible means of compliance that 

accommodate customized operations and evolving technologies. 

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Crosswalk Flight Safety Analysis Example 

Part 417 Subpart C—Flight Safety Analysis 

§ 417.201 Scope and applicability.

§ 417.203 Compliance.

§ 417.205 General.

§ 417.207 Trajectory analysis.

§ 417.209 Malfunction turn analysis.

§ 417.211 Debris analysis.

§ 417.213 Flight safety limits analysis. §450.108 

§450.108(c)(3) 

§ 417.215 Straight-up time analysis. §450.108(c)(2) 

§ 417.217 Overflight gate analysis. 

§ 417.218 Hold-and-resume §§450.108(c)(3)&(4) 

§450.108(d)(4) 

gate analysis.

§ 417.219 Data loss flight time §450.108(d)(3) 

and planned safe flight state analyses. 

§ 417.221 Time delay analysis. 

§ 450.139 Toxic Hazards for Flight 

§ 417.223 Flight hazard area analysis.

§ 417.224 Probability of failure analysis.

§ 417.225 Debris risk analysis.

§ 417.227 Toxic release hazard analysis.

§ 417.229 Far-field overpressure blast

effects analysis.

§ 417.231 Collision avoidance analysis. §450.169 

§ 417.233 Analysis for an unguided suborbital L/V 

flown with a wind weighting safety system 

Part 450 Flight Safety Analyses 

§ 450.113 Flight Safety Analysis

Requirements—Scope.

§ 450.115 Flight Safety Analysis

Methods. 

§ 450.117 Trajectory Analysis for 

Normal Flight.

§ 450.119 Trajectory Analysis for 

Malfunction Flight.

§ 450.121 Debris Analysis.

§ 450.123 Population Exposure

Analysis. 

§ 450.131 Probability of Failure

Analysis.

§ 450.133 Flight Hazard Area 

Analysis.

§ 450.135 Debris Risk Analysis.

§ 450.137 Far-field Overpressure 

Blast Effects Analysis.

§450.113 

Parts 431 & 435 lack specificity regarding flight safety analyses. 

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. 

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Crosswalk Safety Criteria Example 

Legacy Regulations: Part 450 

§ 450.101 Safety Criteria. 

§ 417.107(b) Public risk

criteria. Key provisions of § 450.101:

• New – separate criteria for

§§ 431.35(a) & (b) Neighboring Operations

Acceptable reusable launch Launch and Reentry: Personnel (NOP)

vehicle mission risk • Collective Risk •New – critical asset criteria 

[refers to § 417.107(b)(1)] • Individual Risk •New – inclusion of ships in 

collective risk limits 

§§ 435.35 Acceptable •New – high consequence event

reusable launch vehicle protection

risk. •New – disposal criteria 

[refers to § 417.107(b)(1)] •New – threshold for 

notification of planned 

impacts

•New – standard for validity 

of analyses 

Both legacy and part 450 regulations have launch and reentry risk criteria pertaining to collective and 

individual risks. However, unlike § 450.101, legacy launch and reentry collective risk criteria exclude 

persons in water-borne vessels. Furthermore, § 450.101 has additional safety criteria (e.g., critical asset) 

and has separate criteria for NOP as identified above. 

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Overall Comparison 

• Although part 450 may require an operator to conduct of a CEc analysis, which 

is not currently in parts 415/417, net result from conducting a CEc analysis may 

be cost savings or less stringent regulatory requirements if analysis shows that

an FSS is not needed or one that is less robust than a highly reliable FSS may be

adequate. 

• Part 450 also adds risk criteria for the protection of critical assets essential to

the national interests of the United States, including a more stringent

requirement for the protection of critical payloads. 

• Critical assets include property, facilities, or infrastructure necessary to

maintain national security, or assured access to space for national priority

missions. 

• FAA anticipates that it will perform all critical asset and critical payload

risk assessments for commercial space transportation operations 

involving non-Federal sites. 

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Flexibilities and Efficiencies Under Part 450 

• Vehicle operator license under part 450 may be used to support multiple

launches from multiple launch site locations unlike a launch license under part

415/417. 

• Applicants may submit an application for a safety review in modules using an

incremental review approach approved by the FAA. 

• § 404.15 allows an operator to propose reduced document submittal and 

review period timelines that better suit its operations. 

• Eligible time frames include those for filing a petition for waiver (§ 404.5), demonstration of

compliance (§ 440.15), COLA requirements (§ 450.169), pre-flight reporting (§ 450.213), and

post-flight reporting (§ 450.215) are listed in Appendix A to part 404. 

• Applicants may apply for a safety element approval in conjunction with a vehicle

operator license application, making it easier to seek a safety element approval. 

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Flexibilities and Efficiencies Under Part 450 

• Part 450 applies collective and individual risk criteria to people on waterborne

vessels, enabling risk management techniques that previously required a waiver. 

• Current practice is to issue waivers to operators as an alternative to scrubbing or delaying a

launch or reentry due to waterborne vessels in an area where probability of impact exceeds

1x10-5 if collective and individual risk criteria to people on waterborne vessels are met. 

• Part 450 carves out neighboring operations personnel (NOP) as a separate

category of public subject to a less stringent threshold for risk and financial

responsibility (MPL) as compared to other members of the public. 

• NOP would be subject to less stringent individual and collective risk

criteria to enable them to remain within safety clear zones and hazardous

launch areas during flight as long as their risk did not exceed newly 

designated thresholds. 

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Flexibilities and Efficiencies Under Part 450 cont’d 

• Part 450 eliminates or modifies requirements for an FSS on some launches by

moving from prescriptive and “one-size-fits all” part 417 FSS requirements to

performance-based requirements that specify if an FSS is required (§ 450.101

(c)(2) or § 450.101 (c)(3)), and if so, what FSS reliability is needed and when FSS 

activation (§ 450.108) is required. 

• Part 450 will not require all launch vehicles to have an FSS. 

• Launch vehicles that have a very low probability of multiple casualties 

even if vehicle control fails will not be required to have as robust an FSS. 

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Flexibilities and Efficiencies Under Part 450 cont’d 

• Efficiencies that may be gained from part 450 include the following: 

• Safety official will need to be in place prior to and throughout any licensed

activity, but identifying that individual by name, currently required by § 415.33, is

not necessary and not specified in § 450.103, which avoids need to modify a 

license if name of a safety official were to change. 

• § 450.155 requires an operator to implement procedures to assess readiness to

proceed with flight but removes requirements [§§ 417.117(b)(2) & (b)(3)] for a

launch safety review no earlier than 15 days before flight and a launch readiness

review for flight no earlier than 48 hours before flight. 

• § 450.3(b)(1) changes when launch begins by no longer adopting current

practice or default that hazardous ground pre-flight operations commence

when a launch vehicle or its major components arrive a U.S. launch site. 

• Most prevalent waiver granted to date has been waiver of 14 CFR § 413.3 (b)(1)

to obtain a launch license to enable early arrival of flight hardware for preflight

ground processing at a U.S. launch site. 

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Flexibilities and Efficiencies Under Part 450 cont’d 

• Part 450 relieves duplication for ground safety at certain federal launch or

reentry sites. Under § 450.179 (b), an operator is not required to comply with 

the ground safety requirements of §§ 450.181 through 450.189 if: 

• Launch or reentry is being conducted from a Federal launch or reentry 

site; 

• Operator has contracted with the Federal launch or reentry site for

ground safety services or oversight; and 

• FAA determined that Federal launch or reentry site’s ground safety 

processes, requirements and oversight are not inconsistent with statutory

authority over commercial space activities. 

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Benefits vs Additional Requirements 

Flexibilities and efficiencies that may be acquired under part 450 outweigh a few 

cases where more documentation may be needed to meet some additional part

450 application requirements, which include the following: 

Part 450 Benefits Part 450 Additional Requirements 

• More performance based 

• Tiered FSS requirements 

• Less stringent NOP criteria 

• Revised scope of license 

• Non-duplication of ground safety 

at certain federal sites 

• Options: alternative time frames, 

incremental reviews, etc. 

• Conditional Ec 

• Critical assets/critical 

payloads 

• Functional hazard analyses 

Benefits 

outweigh 

additional 

requirements 

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Crosswalk Summary 

• Part 450 streamlines and combines best elements of launch and reentry 

regulations of parts 415, 417, 431, and 435 into a single performance-based 

part: 

• Part 431 is not specific enough while parts 415 and 417 are too 

prescriptive. 

• Part 450 is shorter, less prescriptive, and more performance-based than 

parts 415 and 417, but it is longer and more specific than parts 431 and 

435. 

• Part 450 incorporates traditional hazard control strategies from both part 

431 (use of system safety to derive hazard controls) and parts 415 and 

417 (use of a flight safety system for flight abort). 

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Crosswalk Summary 

• Many of the current or legacy requirements would serve as a means of 

compliance to meet performance-based part 450 regulations: 

• FAA anticipates that there would be few, if any, additional requirements

that will not be fulfilled by previously submitted information. 

• Although many previously submitted materials will satisfy part 450

requirements, operators should not assume submission of previous 

material will in all instances meet new part 450 requirements. 

• FAA is committed to working with legacy operators to ensure a smooth

transition to part 450 by providing pre-application tools, training, advisory

circulars, and holding individual sessions to address questions pertaining to

unique or specific programs. 

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Q&A 

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faa.gov/space 

Closing Remarks 
faa.gov/space 

End of Day 3