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Author
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Topic: Certification requirements of U.S. spacecraft
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oly
Member Posts: 905
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2015
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posted 08-03-2018 01:10 AM
   
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo has an "N" registration number displayed and is recorded within the FAA registry of aircraft as an experimental research and development glider. While I am not fully conversant on U.S. aviation regulations, I am aware that launches or rockets, such as SpaceX's Falcon 9, require approval for each launch via the FAA. This would be because the flight occurs within U.S. airspace.With SpaceX and Boeing currently undertaking man-rating of their systems, and the future potential for these vehicles taking fare-paying passengers, do these vehicles require the registration and display of "N" numbers? Do these spacecraft require FAA type certification? And can commercial operations be conducted with vehicles registered with experimental type certificates? All of these flight will occur within U.S. airspace. Will Blue Origin, Virgin, SpaceX, Boeing and any other operators be required to placard their spacecraft as experimental, and have each passenger sign a waiver that they understand such? What are the certification requirements and registration requirements fro U.S. spacecraft? And to complete this train of thought, did the space shuttle require these registration requirements for civilian operations? Or was each launch considered a military operation? |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 1463
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 08-03-2018 06:30 AM
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo has an "N" registration number because is it more like an aircraft. Launch vehicles and spacecraft are licensed as one. They are not aircraft so no "N."Passengers do have to sign waivers. Federal codes for commercial launches can be found here. The shuttle was civilian and not military but it still was US government (NASA) operated. Government launch vehicles need no license. |
oly
Member Posts: 905
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2015
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posted 08-04-2018 09:42 PM
Thanks Jim for you answers. I have read through the references you provided.Where does this put SNC's Dream Chaser vehicle? I don't see any "N" numbers on it, it acts like a glider and flew within U.S. airspace. The only difference I can see between this and Virgin's flight is the manned/unmanned fact. | |
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