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The FAA instructed Aerospace Corp. to focus its analysis on non-geostationary satellites launched by the United States under FAA licenses, excluding constellations such as China’s proposed 13,000-satellite Guowang network.
Hans Koenigsmann, a former SpaceX executive, was forced out of the company after stating in a report that SpaceX was responsible for a test flight conducted without FAA approval.
Bob Smith, chief executive of Blue Origin, indicated at a conference on 2023-06-06 that the company was completing requirements with the FAA and that New Shepard should be ready to fly within the next few weeks.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified 21 corrective actions that Blue Origin is required to complete to prevent a recurrence of the mishap.
Blue Origin must demonstrate to the FAA that it has implemented the recommendations related to public safety before the agency will issue a modified launch license for New Shepard.
The FAA’s required corrective actions for Blue Origin include redesigns of engine and nozzle components to improve structural performance and organizational changes.
The FAA established a space-related aerospace rulemaking committee known as SpARC this summer to study potential future regulations.
FAA officials stated that the expiration of the restriction would not significantly impact commercial space activities.
The STAR Act would extend the restriction on the Federal Aviation Administration’s ability to regulate commercial human spaceflight safety by eight years through September 2031.
The current expiration date of the FAA's regulatory restriction is September 30.
The FAA's regulatory restriction was set to expire in 2012 but has been extended multiple times.
Kelvin Coleman, FAA associate administrator for commercial space transportation, mentioned that there are no drafted safety regulations prepared for the industry.
The restriction on FAA regulations was originally enacted in 2004 to give the commercial space industry time to build up experience for future regulations.
The FAA released the draft rule on September 20, 2023, which will be formally published in the Federal Register.
The proposed regulation requires companies with FAA commercial launch licenses to choose from five approaches for removing upper stages from congested orbits.
The FAA stated that the growth of orbital debris is motivating the proposed regulation.
The FAA is seeking feedback on potentially shortening the reentry timeframe from 25 years to as little as five years.
Space sustainability experts at the AMOS Conference expressed encouragement about the FAA’s approach to the proposed regulations.
The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed new regulations to require commercial launch providers to dispose of upper stages from their launches to mitigate the growth of orbital debris.
FAA acting administrator Polly Trottenberg projected at a 2023-09-13 conference that a modified Starship launch license could be ready in October.