Launches

Eastern Range (ER) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Spaceport Concept

Introduction:  This concept explores the Eastern Range (ER) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) being managed as a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-licensed commercial launch site (i.e., a spaceport). The concept to be discussed is that launch programs (U.S., commercial, civil, and national security space sector launch and test and evaluation (T&E) programs) would contract for support services as need for their missions from an FAA-licensed commercial launch site operator that manages the surface transportation (e.g., airport, port, roads, etc) and utility infrastructure, support services, and range capabilities as a business or quasi government entity.

Key Assumptions:  At the ER, the portions of the 45th Space Wing (45 SW) and its contractors (including the safety office) that deal with base and range activities would be eliminated and replaced by an FAA-licensed commercial launch site operator.  Government organizations (i.e., AFSPC, National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)) may take responsibility for public safety during its activities and the activities of the Atlas V and Delta IV contractors conducting national security sector space launches, in the same way as NASA’s Launch Services Program takes public safety responsibility for the launch-related activities of its contractors who are not licensed by the FAA.  The commercial launch site operator would conduct operations, maintenance and sustainment and modernization of ER, as well as manage all currently government owned range facilities, utility and transportation infrastructure at ER/CCAFS.  Air Force Space Command may retain ownership of the land, but transfer management responsibilities for ER, range facilities, utility systems, and transportation infrastructure to the commercial launch site operator.  Current Government-owned launch and payload processing facilities (i.e., Space Launch Complex (SLC)-40, Eastern Processing Facility (EPF)) will be excluded from the responsibility of the commercial launch site operator; responsibility for these facilities would be retained by the currently assigned government owner or tenant organizations (e.g., National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)  for the EPF, NASA for SLC-41, Naval Ordinance Test Unit (NOTU) for its facilities on CCAFS) or lessees (e.g., United Launch Alliance (ULA)).  Air Force Space Command may retain responsibility for administering these real property leases.

Under this option, the ER would no longer be considered part of the Major Range and Test Facility Base (MRTFB); consequently, the authorities and responsibilities defined in DoD Directives 3200.11 and 3200.18 would no longer apply to ER.  Instead, FAA regulations (14 CFR Ch. III, and in particular Part 417-Launch Safety and Part 420-License to Operate a Launch Site) would define the authorities and responsibilities of the licensed launch site operator and any FAA-licensed U.S. commercial launch programs using ER, with FAA approvals and oversight for safety compliance.

ER Spaceport:  The spaceport will exercise contract and program control functions to ensure contractual compliance and administer programmatic controls over the acquisition of services and materiel to enable it to provide range and infrastructure support services at ER and CCAFS.  The FAA-licensed commercial launch site operator will be responsible for ensuring public safety, meeting customer support requirements involving range and infrastructure support, operating, maintaining, sustaining, modernizing and managing configuration of the range capabilities at ER.  For operations involving FAA-licensed commercial launches, the FAA-licensed commercial launch operator takes on public safety responsibility for its activities.

Under this option, the FAA-licensed commercial launch site operator would manage the following core functions at ER and CCAFS:

Safety:

                FAA-licensed Commercial Launch Site Operator:

  • Safety Analysis, Approvals and Implementation, per FAA regulations, with FAA Regulatory Oversight to Ensure Compliance
  • Flight – no responsibility
  • System – design, testing, installation of high pressure, electrical, and other potentially hazardous systems in areas not under launch operator responsibility
  • Ground – facilities, operations in areas not under launch operator responsibility
  • Explosive – siting, storage, transportation in areas not under launch operator responsibility and for safe separation between site users
  • Toxic – propellant transportation and transfer in areas not under launch operator responsibility
  • Area Surveillance – no responsibility, but may provide resources for use
  • Clearance – provide resources for launch operator to use, along with emergency response; site operator required to provide control of public access for the site, but launch needs may extend beyond that area

Launch Vehicle Operator (whether an FAA-licensed commercial launch operator, or a government launch operator under contract to NASA, Air Force, NRO, etc):

  • Safety Analysis, Approvals and Implementation, per FAA/DoD/NASA regulations for public safety (or under ONE standard), regardless of whether it is an FAA-licensed commercial launch or a government launch
  • Flight – based on risk analysis of toxic, blast and debris hazards to determine limits of safe flight for specific vehicles and weather conditions
  • System – design, testing, installation of high pressure, electrical, and other potentially hazardous systems within operating areas
  • Ground – facilities, operations within operating areas
  • Explosive – siting, storage, transportation within operating areas
  • Toxic – propellant transportation, transfer within operating areas
  • Area Surveillance – to ensure no errant aircraft or ship/boat traffic enters hazardous areas)
  • Clearance – establishing and manning roadblocks to manage exposure to hazards – may utilize local (site operator) resources

 

Program Control:

FAA-licensed Commercial Launch Operator:

  • Manage pricing and charging policies and reimbursement procedures from launch customers and tenant organizations using ER spaceport support (e.g., range support, utilities, transportation infrastructure).

Launch Operator (whether an FAA-licensed commercial launch operator, or a government launch operator under contract to NASA, Air Force, NRO, etc):

  • Manage pricing and charging policies and reimbursement procedures within operating areas and for launch support – has the option to fulfill some needs outside of site operator

Contracting:

FAA-licensed Commercial Launch Site Operator:

  • Conduct all contract management, including solicitations, source selections, and performance/compliance/award fee/incentive reviews for site operations

Launch Operator (whether an FAA-licensed commercial launch operator, or a government launch operator under contract to NASA, Air Force, NRO, etc):

  • Conduct all contract management, including solicitations, source selections, and performance/compliance/award fee/incentive reviews for launch operations.

Spaceport Infrastructure:

FAA-licensed Commercial Launch Site Operator:

  • Manage range infrastructure, to include leasing agreements, transportation  infrastructure (airport runways, ramps and hangars; roads, ports and docks); electrical, water, storm drain, sewer; security (perimeter/off-shore); propellant, commodity and explosive storage facilities; tool calibration and chemical analysis labs, etc.

Launch Operator (whether an FAA-licensed commercial launch operator, or a government launch operator under contract to NASA, Air Force, NRO, etc):

  • Leases or sub-leases launch pad and land or facilities from the site operator. Within that land, pad or facility, all infrastructure is managed, maintained and provided for by the launch operator – including: transportation needs, electrical (pays for service), water (pays for service), security, commodity and ordnance and propellant storage, tool calibration, etc.

 

Range Operations:

FAA-licensed Commercial Launch Site Operator:

  • Manage program support, range scheduling, and coordinates with tenants to ensure needs are met, including: clearance of public and any other services offered and required

Launch Operator (whether an FAA-licensed commercial launch operator, or a government launch operator under contract to NASA, Air Force, NRO, etc):

  • Manages payload customer support, coordinates with site for scheduling of hazardous operations, ensures all instrumentation needs and public safety requirements are met.

Security: 

FAA-licensed Commercial Launch Site Operator:

  •  Control of public access, which may include gate guards or perimeter control such as roadblocks during hazardous operations, security response and enforcement possibly through local law enforcement, information assurance (compliance with DoD standards, to meet customer needs), ability to handle classified information as needed by customers, etc.

Launch Operator (whether an FAA-licensed commercial launch operator, or a government launch operator under contract to NASA, Air Force, NRO, etc):

  • Responsible for security of their own facilities and areas of operations, including ensuring hazardous operations are cleared from public to meet safety requirements and regulations.

FAA-licensed commercial launch site operator (Spaceport) will:

  • Manage support capabilities to address customer requirements.
  • Ensure its personnel are trained to support mission requirements
  • Establish launch support documentation, plans and requirements, including accident investigation plan and emergency response coordination with launch operators
  • Schedule range and base resources to support customer organizations, range operators, and other support ranges
  • Coordinate range availability, support requirements and range resources to support customer mission requirements.
  • Manage Range operations, maintenance, sustainment, engineering, and modernization requirements and execution of any range instrumentation maintenance schedules
  • Ensure control of public access
  • Ensure notification and coordination requirements with Air Traffic and Coast Guard are met
  • Ensure safe distances for hazardous operations (explosive siting) are maintained as required
  • Manage Range configuration control, documentation, and range operations availability, including compliance with DoD Information Assurance (IA) requirements and other security requirements specified by customer organizations (e.g., SMC, Navy, MDA, NRO).

Launch Operator, whether overseen or operated by government agency or FAA-licensed, will:

  • Manage launch support capabilities and needs to address public safety requirements and payload customer requirements
  • Ensure personnel are trained to support mission operations and requirements
  • Establish documentation, plans and requirements to support mission operations, as required by internal management, payload customers and government agency (DoD/NASA/FAA) requirements or regulations
  • Coordinate with launch site or other entities to ensure all range and instrumentation needs are scheduled to be met
  • Manage operations, maintenance, sustainment, engineering, and modernization of operated facilities and property to ensure execution of mission schedules
  • Ensure operations meet public safety requirements and/or regulations

Day of Launch:  Since public safety during a launch is the responsibility of the launch operator, whichever entity is controlling the launch (e.g., an FAA-licensed commercial launch operator, NASA, ULA under contract to SMC, NRO) will have Launch Decision Authority (LDA).    For spaceport operations other than launch activities, or those activities controlled by a launch operator, the Spaceport Director (i.e., FAA-licensed commercial launch site operator) has responsibility for public safety. The site operator is responsible for maintaining the schedule of hazardous operations at the spaceport; the launch operator is responsible for informing and coordinating with the site for scheduling hazardous operations.

Governance:  Relationships between the FAA-licensed commercial launch site operator and the government, to include existing authorities under the Current Launch Schedule Review Board (CLSRB) process will be evaluated and determined prior to implementation.

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