First commercial spacecraft reentry license issued by FAA
Nov. 27, 2010
WASHINGTON, 27 Nov. 2010. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued its first license permitting the reentry to earth of a privately developed spacecraft to the Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX). The Space X Dragon space capsule will launch atop their Falcon 9 rocket on Dec. 7 and return to earth. While initially unmanned, the mission is a precursor to NASA and SpaceX efforts to eventually provide commercial trips to the International Space Station with cargo and crew.
Posted by John McHaleWASHINGTON, 27 Nov. 2010. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued its first license permitting the reentry to earth of a privately developed spacecraft to the Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) The Space X Dragon space capsule will launch atop their Falcon 9 rocket on Dec. 7 and return to earth. While initially an unmanned spacecraft, the mission is a precursor to NASA and SpaceX efforts to eventually provide commercial trips to the International Space Station with cargo and crew.The FAA is responsible for regulating and licensing U.S. private companies and individuals involved in commercial space transportation. To date, the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation has licensed over 200 successful launches, according to an FAA fact sheet.An FAA license is required for any launch or reentry, or the operation of any launch or reentry site, as carried out by U.S. citizens anywhere in the world, or by any individual or entity within the U.S., according to the FAA fact sheet. An FAA license is not required for space activities the government carries out for the government, such as most NASA or Department of Defense launches.For more information view the FAA Regulating and Licensing Commercial Space Transportation Actitivies online at https://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=12179.
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