Overview of Current FAA Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations

Manfred Lachs Conference on the Regulation of Emerging Modes of Aerospace Transportation

Daniel Murray Office of Commercial Space Transportation 24 May 2013

Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration

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U.S. Commercial Space Transportation

•

FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/

• Mission:

To ensure protection of the public, property, and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States during commercial launch or reentry activities, and to encourage, facilitate, and promote U.S. commercial space transportation

• Over 220 licensed and permitted commercial launches since 1989 with no public casualties or major property damage Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

Federal Aviation Administration

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U.S. Spaceports

Commercial/Government/Private Launch Sites *

Poker Flat Research Range

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Kodiak Launch Complex Reagan Test Site

Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands

California Spaceport

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Key U.S. Federal Launch Site Non-Federal FAA-Licensed Launch Site

*

Owned by University of Alaska Geophysical

*

Institute Sole Site Operator

 

Edwards AFB Vandenberg AFB Spaceport America White Sands Missile Range

  *

Blue Origin Launch Site Sea Launch Platform

Equatorial Pacific Ocean 

Oklahoma Spaceport

 *   

SpaceX Launch Site Other spaceports have been proposed by: Alabama, Colorado, Georgia Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and multiple locations in Texas.

 Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport

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Wallops Flight Facility

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Cecil Field Spaceport

 -

Kennedy Space Center

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Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Spaceport Florida FAA/AST: December 2012 Federal Aviation Administration

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Amateur Rockets

Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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Making It Work

• Today, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accommodates space operations and amateur rocket activities in the National Airspace System (NAS) on a mission-by-mission basis • A small FAA team works collaboratively with space launch and reentry operators to negotiate opportunities for them to safely accomplish their missions •

Goal: Minimize the effect of a launch or reentry on the efficiency and capacity of the NAS without jeopardizing opportunities for mission success

Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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Current Air Traffic Management Approach

• Generally, FAA protects against potential space vehicle contingencies using preemptive airspace closures (i.e. “plan for failure”) • Relatively large volumes of airspace are closed in advance of a launch, reentry, or amateur rocket operation to protect air traffic from hazards • • • • Toolset: • NOTAMs • Temporary Flight Restrictions Altitude Reservations Special Use Airspace Tactical Approaches Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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The Columbia Accident

• The 2003

Columbia

accident illustrated a need to better manage the risk to aircraft flying near the potential debris hazard associated with space vehicles returning from orbit • FAA procedures existed for Shuttle landings prior to

Columbia

, but they did not address the hazards to aircraft of falling debris DFW N Debris Footprint Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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Lessons Learned From Columbia

• • Effective airspace management around space operations requires increased situational awareness • Identified need to: • Accurately model a space vehicle accident • Identify potentially affected airspace • • Assess impacts on air traffic Quickly distribute information to affected parties Identified FAA need for increased communication with space vehicle operator throughout a space operation Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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• FAA directly supported NASA on all 22 Shuttle missions since STS-114 in August of 2004 • Successfully demonstrated implementation of “operational airspace management around space operations” concept • Notification was disseminated but airspace below and in front of reentering orbiter was left open to all traffic • FAA was prepared to protect airspace based on receipt of accident notification from NASA • Prototype software for reentry debris prediction was developed and used operationally Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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Operational Planning

1. Input 2. Development and Integration 3. Assessment 4. Decision Making 5. Final Planning for Operational Support

Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

Federal Aviation Administration

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Operational Planning

Example: SpaceX

Dragon

Reentries

• SpaceX proposed

Dragon

landing locations all along US West Coast • FAA evaluated danger area sizes, locations, and durations • Negotiations between FAA US Navy, and SpaceX defined procedures for notification and coordination Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013 • FAA evaluated effects on NAS traffic between Hawaii and Los Angeles and identified limits on acceptable landing locations

Federal Aviation Administration

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Operational Execution

1. Realtime monitoring • Process led by FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center • • • Stand up hotline and data connection with space operator Monitor planned events against pre-defined timelines Coordinate for release of airspace as soon as possible 2. Realtime response in the event of a vehicle failure • Compute best estimate of location and extent of hazarded airspace using best available data • Work with affected ATC facilities to identify aircraft within danger area and aircraft approaching danger area • Coordinate among ATC facilities to develop any traffic management initiatives Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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Operational Execution

Example: SpaceX

Dragon

CRS2 Reentry

The Most Recent ATCSCC Advisory ATCSCC ADVZY 016 DCC 03/26/2013 DRAGON REENTRY VEHICLE

MESSAGE:

THE DRAGON REENTRY VEHICLE HAS STARTED THE DE-ORBIT BURN FOR THE RETURN. THE DRAGON IS EXPECTED TO SPLASH DOWN IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN AT 1634UTC. NOTIFICATION OF COMPLETION OF THE OPERATION WILL BE FORWARDED THROUGH THE ADVISORY SYSTEM.

EFFECTIVE TIME: 261542 - 261634 SIGNATURE: 13/03/26 15:42 • Used flow evaluation areas (FEAs) on Traffic Situational Display (TSD) to track progress of reentry using data provided by SpaceX over secure data link • SpaceX provided verbal mission status updates over hotline Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

Federal Aviation Administration

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Operational Execution

Example: SpaceX

Dragon

C2 Reentry

Updated Hazard Area Predicted Hazard Area • SpaceX would declare a breakup over the hotline • FAA would compute updated danger area using last known state vector provided by SpaceX • Input danger area coordinates into TSD and share across affected ATC facilities • Coordinate with ATC facilities to implement necessary traffic management initiatives Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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Post Operation

• Review plan and outcome to evaluate and verify safety and effect on NAS performance • Work with operator to resolve any issues • Gather metrics, document lessons learned • Make process adjustments as necessary Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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Notes

• Process is currently applied mission-by-mission, but approaches are expected to evolve into a collaborative, standardized framework for NAS management • Same approach and process is used for DoD/NASA launches and reentries as is used for commercial launches and reentries however, available alternate strategies may be more limited and timelines may be reduced • Each mission proposes unique challenges but best practices are being identified that can be applied to different missions and different locations Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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• • • •

International Coordination

FAA handles US launches/reentries affecting another country’s airspace on a case-by-case basis For one-time events, procedures are worked out via teleconference between affected Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) and space operator • For repeated events, FAA requires space operator to develop agreement with appropriate ANSP Document ANSP’s notification and coordination requirements and establish necessary procedures When a danger area overlaps an FIR boundary, each ANSP publishes a NOTAM for entire danger area Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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International Coordination

• Example: SpaceX

Dragon

•

Reentries

Extension of danger area from FAA’s Oakland Oceanic (ZAK) FIR into Mexico’s Mazatlan Oceanic (MZT) FIR required negotiation of agreement between SpaceX, FAA, and Mazatlan Center ZAK MZT Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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• • • •

Evolving the Approach

Transition from “planning for failure” to “operating for success” • Airspace required to contain space vehicle hazards would only be closed in response to a vehicle failure, and airspace would remain open to all traffic otherwise, while… Vehicle designers invest in and develop technological innovations to increase reliability and keeping costs down Vehicle operators conduct high frequency operations and develop techniques that increase operational predictability ANSPs invest in and develop technologies that broaden and improve ATC capabilities • • Automate receipt, processing, and dissemination of data and information in real time Develop decision support for monitoring ops and responding to contingencies Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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Contact

Mr. Daniel P. Murray Acting Manager Space Transportation Development Division (AST-100) Office of Commercial Space Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Washington, DC [email protected]

Process for Airspace Integration of Space Launch and Reentry Operations 24 May 2013

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