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“FAA”
GAO Report: FAA Should Improve Its Mishap Investigation Process
GAO Report: FAA Should Improve Its Mishap Investigation Process

According to the GAO: “The commercial space industry is rapidly growing as private companies transport cargo, satellites, and people to space. But not all launches go smoothly. Some have exploded or otherwise failed, which can endanger the public. Usually, FAA is responsible for finding out what caused such mishaps. Although FAA can investigate a mishap itself, it has always opted to authorize the launch operator to investigate under agency supervision. But FAA doesn’t have criteria to determine when to authorize an operator to investigate its own mishap, nor has it evaluated how effective its investigation process is. We recommended that FAA address these issues.” Full Report

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  • NASA Watch
  • December 7, 2023
FAA Closes SpaceX Starship Mishap Investigation
FAA Closes SpaceX Starship Mishap Investigation

“The closure of the mishap investigation does not signal an immediate resumption of Starship launches at Boca Chica. SpaceX must implement all corrective actions that impact public safety and apply for and receive a license modification from the FAA that addresses all safety, environmental and other applicable regulatory requirements prior to the next Starship launch.” More

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  • NASA Watch
  • September 8, 2023
FAA Proposes Changes To Astronaut Classifications And Other Regulations
FAA Proposes Changes To Astronaut Classifications And Other Regulations

Keith’s note: According to an FAA posting in the Federal Register: “This proposed rule would incorporate various changes required by the United States Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of November 2015. This proposed rule would provide regulatory clarity to applicants seeking licenses for space flight operations involving government astronauts by adding two new subparts to the human space flight regulations containing requirements for operators with government astronauts with and without safety-critical roles on board vehicles.” More

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  • NASA Watch
  • August 18, 2023
Yet Another Space Advisory Committee With A Zillion Members
Yet Another Space Advisory Committee With A Zillion Members

“Today, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is launching a rulemaking committee to examine the development and cost of possible future regulations for commercial human spaceflight occupant safety. The agency is taking this action due to the increase in commercial space activities and the impending end of the Congressional prohibition on commercial human spaceflight regulations in October 2023. The committee is expected to gather recommendations from industry and other stakeholders to help the FAA plan, conceive, and implement—when the time is right—a well-informed, thoughtful, regulatory regime for commercial human spaceflight occupant safety. Recommendations will be submitted to the FAA next summer.” More.

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  • NASA Watch
  • July 27, 2023
The Annual Stealth FAA Commercial Space Thing
The Annual Stealth FAA Commercial Space Thing

Keith’s note: WRT the FAA/Commercial Spaceflight Foundation Commercial Space Transportation Conference next month. There is no way for media to register. Neither is there going to be webcasting – just as COVID/Flu/RSV are becoming problematic. What a great way to make sure no one in the real world knows what is going on in space. Yet another gathering in an echo chamber – with extra sound absorbing panels installed. Just sayin’

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  • NASA Watch
  • January 9, 2023
FAA Tells SpaceX What It Needs To Do To Launch Starship
FAA Tells SpaceX What It Needs To Do To Launch Starship

FAA Requires SpaceX to Take Over 75 Actions to Mitigate Environmental Impact of Planned Starship/Super Heavy Launches, FAA “The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will require SpaceX to take more than 75 actions to mitigate environmental impacts from its proposed plan to launch the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle from Boca Chica, Texas. The actions are part of the agency’s environmental review. The environmental review must be completed along […]

  • NASA Watch
  • June 13, 2022
Interesting Commercial Space Job Opening At FAA
Interesting Commercial Space Job Opening At FAA

Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, FAA “The Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation regulates the Unites States’ (U.S.) commercial space transportation industry, and ensures compliance with international obligations of the U.S. and protects the public health and safety, safety of property, and national security and foreign policy interests of the U.S.; encourages, facilitates and promotes commercial space launches and reentries by the private sector; recommends appropriate changes in Federal […]

  • NASA Watch
  • May 12, 2022
FAA Grounds Virgin Galactic
FAA Grounds Virgin Galactic

Keith’s note: This is the news Virgin Galactic wanted to focus on today: Virgin Galactic Announces First Commercial Research Mission “Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. … today announced the manifest for the next rocket-powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo Unity from Spaceport America, which will be the first commercial, human-tended research mission for the Company. … The Company is targeting a flight window in late September or early October 2021, pending technical […]

  • NASA Watch
  • September 2, 2021
NASAWatch On BBC: Who Gets The FAA Astronaut Wings?

Keith Cowing · NASAWatch on BBC Five Live: Who Gets Astronaut Wings? FAA National Policy: FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program “Purpose of This Order. This Order provides guidelines, eligibility, and criteria for the administration of the FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program.”

  • NASA Watch
  • July 23, 2021
FAA And NASA Sign MOU
FAA And NASA Sign MOU

FAA and NASA Sign MOU to Strengthen Partnership in Commercial Space Activities, FAA “The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) (PDF) to support commercial space activities related to the transport of government and non-government passengers, cargo, and payloads for both orbital and suborbital missions. “This FAA-NASA collaboration at the Administrator level will advance America’s commercial space sector, […]

  • NASA Watch
  • January 8, 2021