PowerPoint Presentation*
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of Space Launch and Reentry Operations
Manfred Lachs Conference on the Regulation of Emerging Modes of Aerospace Transportation
Daniel Murray
24 May 2013
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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
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Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and multiple locations in Texas.
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Amateur Rockets
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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
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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
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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
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Identified need to:
Identify potentially affected airspace
Quickly distribute information to affected parties
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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
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Operational Planning
Negotiations between FAA US Navy, and SpaceX defined procedures for notification and coordination
FAA evaluated effects on NAS traffic between Hawaii and Los Angeles and identified limits on acceptable landing locations
Example: SpaceX Dragon Reentries
SpaceX proposed Dragon landing locations all along US West Coast
FAA evaluated danger area sizes, locations, and durations
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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
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
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Example: SpaceX Dragon CRS2 Reentry
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
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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
Predicted Hazard Area
Updated Hazard Area
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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
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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
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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
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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
MZT
ZAK
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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
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Federal Aviation Administration
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
WILL BE
EFFECTIVE
TIME: