The Federal Aviation Administration has started soliciting insights on a proposed rule to provide regulatory clarity for commercial space operators applying for licenses for spaceflight operations involving government astronauts in compliance with the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015.
The proposed rule would establish two new subparts to include requirements for “applicants whose licensed or permitted operations involve government astronauts with and without safety-critical roles on board a vehicle,” according to a notice published Friday in Federal Register.
The rule would direct operators to demonstrate that such astronauts can perform safety-critical tasks aboard a vehicle.
“This proposed requirement would maintain public safety by ensuring operators provide mission specific training on safety-critical tasks to government astronauts, as has been done in the NASA Commercial Crew Program,” the notice reads.
FAA also volunteered to update definitions related to commercial space launch and reentry vehicles and occupants; implement clarifications to financial responsibility requirements in accordance with the law; and broaden applicability of allowed operations for reusable suborbital rockets.
Public comments are due Oct. 17.
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