The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is streamlining the licensing process for launch operators by accepting flight safety analyses performed by federal launch ranges in California, Florida, and Virginia. This announcement, made on Dec. 13, eliminates the need for companies to conduct duplicate analyses for the FAA, a significant source of complaints within the industry.
Kelvin Coleman, FAA associate administrator for commercial space transportation, lauded the move as a “force multiplier” for the industry, reducing paperwork and speeding up the FAA review process. This decision addresses concerns raised in a September hearing by the House Science Committee’s space subcommittee, where concerns of “multiple or duplicative safety analyses” were highlighted by Mike French, vice chair of the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC).
COMSTAC's 2023 report recommended that the FAA accept safety analyses from federal ranges, a suggestion endorsed by David Cavossa, president of the Commercial Space Federation (CSF). The FAA will now accept analyses from Space Launch Delta 30 (Vandenberg), Space Launch Delta 45 (Cape Canaveral/Kennedy), and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (Wallops/MARS).
This streamlining comes as the FAA undertakes a broader review of Part 450 regulations, establishing the SpARC committee to recommend changes. Despite this ongoing effort, Congress is pressing for faster action, with Representatives Sam Graves and Rob Wittman urging expedited licensing. The announcement also coincides with the departure of FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, effective Jan. 20.