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U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

US

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), through its Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST), is a regulatory agency responsible for overseeing and licensing commercial space launch and reentry operations in the U.S. It ensures public safety, protects property, and upholds national security and foreign policy interests while promoting the growth of the U.S. commercial space sector. The FAA partners with organizations like NASA and also issues licenses for spaceports. Associated keywords: commercial space transportation, launch licensing, reentry licensing, spaceport regulation, public safety.

gov civilFounded 1958
Washington, United States
www.faa.gov
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All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

SpaceX filed temporary flight restrictions with the Federal Aviation Administration restricting airspace to an altitude of 300 m for several hours each day on 2019-04-05 through 2019-04-07.

PlanLegalValue 3.5Apr 6, 2019SpaceX begins Starship hopper testing

SPD-2 directed the Department of Transportation, through the Federal Aviation Administration, to publish proposed revisions to commercial launch and reentry regulations by 2019-02-01.

LegalPlanValue 4.0Mar 29, 2019Lagging progress on commercial space policy

The Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015 called on the Federal Aviation Administration to work with companies on voluntary industry consensus standards for commercial spacecraft safety.

LegalValue 3.0Feb 19, 2019New House space subcommittee chair plans to address commercial space issues

The Federal Aviation Administration was working to release a notice of proposed rulemaking on 2019-02-01 on revised regulations intended to streamline the launch licensing process.

LegalValue 3.0Feb 5, 2019Shutdown delays proposed revisions to launch licensing regulations

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a NOTAM restricting airspace around Blue Origin’s West Texas test site between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Eastern on 2019-01-21 through 2019-01-23.

LegalValue 4.0Jan 18, 2019Blue Origin reschedules New Shepard test flight

Once airborne, Stratolaunch expected the airplane’s flight test program to take 18 to 24 months to complete and receive an airworthiness certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration.

PlanLegalValue 3.0Jan 10, 2019Stratolaunch airplane nears first flight

The Federal Aviation Administration is working on a proposed rule to reform launch licensing processes that is due for release on 2018-02-01.

LegalPlanGeneralValue 2.3Dec 22, 2018Commercial space bill dies in the House

The Federal Aviation Administration published restricted airspace around Blue Origin’s West Texas launch site for a three-day period starting 2018-12-18.

LegalPlanValue 3.8Dec 17, 2018Blue Origin gearing up for next New Shepard test flight

The Federal Aviation Administration is on schedule to release a draft rule reforming commercial launch regulations in the form of a notice of proposed rulemaking by 2018-02-01 to implement Space Policy Directive 2.

LegalPlanValue 3.0Nov 1, 2018Industry concerned about fast pace of commercial launch regulatory reform

Space Policy Directive 2, signed by President Trump in May, directs the Department of Transportation through the Federal Aviation Administration to review existing commercial launch and reentry regulations and develop proposals for revising them to minimize uncertainty and encourage American leadership in space commerce.

LegalGeneralValue 3.8Oct 28, 2018Commercial launch industry seeks updates on regulatory reform work

The Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation awarded a launch site operator’s license to the government of Adams County, Colorado on 2018-08-17 for Front Range Airport.

LegalRelationshipsValue 4.0Aug 21, 2018Colorado airport receives FAA spaceport license

S. 3277 gives the Department of Transportation, through the Federal Aviation Administration, the ability to use the payload review portion of the launch licensing process to authorize non-traditional space activities not overseen by other agencies.

LegalGeneralValue 4.0Aug 1, 2018Commercial space bill clears Senate committee

Virgin Orbit received a Federal Aviation Administration license for the first launch of its LauncherOne vehicle on 2018-06-29.

LegalPlanValue 4.0Jul 1, 2018Virgin Orbit wins FAA license for first LauncherOne mission

H.R. 5346 directs the Department of Transportation, through the Federal Aviation Administration, to issue licenses and experimental permits for space support vehicles that include aircraft flights providing training for or research supporting commercial launches.

LegalValue 3.5Jun 28, 2018House passes two space bills

Space Policy Directive 2, signed by President Trump on 2018-05-24, directs the Department of Transportation, through the Federal Aviation Administration, to develop revised regulations for licensing of commercial launches and reentries.

LegalValue 4.0Jun 26, 2018Hearing raises questions about pace of commercial launch regulatory overhaul

Sen. Ted Cruz attended the Federal Aviation Administration’s Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) meeting on 2018-06-14 and is working on commercial space legislation addressing oversight of non-traditional commercial space activities.

LegalGeneralValue 2.0Jun 18, 2018Cruz still studying what agency should oversee non-traditional commercial space missions

The spending bill provides $24,981,000 for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST).

FinancialValue 4.2Jun 8, 2018Senate bill increases funding for FAA commercial space office but seeks regulatory reform

George Nield is a former associate administrator for commercial space transportation at the Federal Aviation Administration who participated in a 2018-05-27 panel at the International Space Development Conference about improving management of government space activities.

GovernanceValue 2.0May 27, 2018Commerce Department to create “SPACE Administration”
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