Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration Presented to: COMSTAC By: Bretton Alexander, RLV Working Group Chair Date: May 11, 2011 Report to COMSTAC of the RLV Working Group

Federal Aviation Administration RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 21, 2009 Discussion Items IAF Commercial Spaceflight Safety Committee (Sloan/Mitchell) FAA/AST International Outreach (Sloan/Mitchell) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Proposed Rulemaking for Winged Suborbital Vehicles (Sloan/Mitchell) International Space University (ISU) Beacon Study (Sloan/Mitchell) Proposed Findings (All) RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 11, 2011

Federal Aviation Administration RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 21, 2009 IAF Commercial Spaceflight Safety Committee FAA/AST chairs the Commercial Spaceflight Safety Committee (CSSC) of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Committee holds a paper session at the annual International Astronautical Congress (IAC) –Next meeting: October 2011, South Africa Planning meeting held March 22 –7 papers selected for CSSC and 7 for joint session with Transportation Committee –Seeking more technically oriented papers in future RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 11, 2011

Federal Aviation Administration RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 21, 2009 FAA/AST International Outreach New International Affairs website on AST Homepage New Tri-fold brochure to share with international partners, companies, and others Providing guidance for FAA’s international representatives: –FAA/AST is willing to meet with other governments and companies to discuss FAA regulations –FAA is promoting its commercial space transportation regulations –Willing to explore MoUs with other governments to facilitate launch of U.S.-operated commercial vehicles outside the United States Discussion of ‘interoperability’ vs ‘harmonization’ for international regulations –Space law conference at University of Nebraska at Lincoln, April 2011 RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 11, 2011

Federal Aviation Administration RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 21, 2009 EASA Proposed Rulemaking for Winged Suborbital Vehicles EASA plans to certify “winged vehicles” –“An aircraft is ‘any machine that can derive support in the atmosphere from the reactions of the air other than the reactions of the air against the earth’s surface.’ Thus, Suborbital Aeroplanes (SoA) generating aerodynamic lift during the atmospheric part of their flight are considered to be aircraft.” EASA rulemaking document is scheduled to be published for comment this summer –“Potential applicants are encouraged to route their request for proposed rulemaking as soon as possible via their representatives in EASA consultative bodies” (from EASA IAC paper 2010) RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 11, 2011

Federal Aviation Administration RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 21, 2009 ISU Beacon Study International Space University offered to assist FAA/AST with study of beacons/transponders for commercial space vehicles Study to examine: –Is a beacon or transponder needed for safety reasons? –Is it practical from a commercial and government perspective –Orbital, suborbital, reentry and upper stages –Interviews with commercial vehicle providers Looking at 2012 Summer Studies Program in Florida RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 11, 2011

Federal Aviation Administration RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 21, 2009 Proposed Finding #1 COMSTAC finds that adoption of regulations worldwide that are consistent with the U.S. regulatory approach is important to the long-term success of the industry and commends the FAA/AST effort to promote the U.S. regulatory framework for licensing of space transportation to the international community. RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 11, 2011

Federal Aviation Administration RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 21, 2009 Proposed Finding #2 COMSTAC finds that aircraft-like certification of winged space vehicles is premature and, if imposed, could be detrimental to the early development of the suborbital space transportation industry. COMSTAC is particularly concerned about the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) proposal for aircraft-like certification. RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 11, 2011

Federal Aviation Administration RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 21, Contact Bretton Alexander, Chair President, Commercial Spaceflight Federation 1725 I Street, NW Washington, DC cell Jeff Greason, Deputy Chair President, XCOR Aerospace PO Box 1163 Mojave, CA RLV Working Group Report to COMSTAC May 11, 2011