The Need for an Integrated Regulatory Regime for Aviation and Space (eBook)

Title Page 3
Copyright Page 4
Table of Contents 5
Foreword 9
Executive summary 11
Findings 12
Conclusions 13
Acknowledgements 15
List of acronyms 17
List of figures and tables 19
Introduction 21
CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND 25
1.1 Need for international safety regulations for commercial space activities 26
1.1.1 Introduction 26
1.1.2 Widening access to space and its economic significance 27
1.1.2.1 Military in Space 29
1.1.2.2 Rise of international commercial space sector 30
1.1.2.3 Commercial Space Transportation 31
1.1.2.4 Commercial human spaceflight: emerging new sub-sector of space industry 33
1.1.2.5 Satellite navigation systems 35
1.1.3 Safety Risk of Space Missions 35
1.1.4 Challenges for regulatory regimes and bodies 37
1.1.4.1 Aerospace vehicles 37
1.1.4.2 Space debris 38
1.1.4.3 Military and civil/commercial space operations 39
CHAPTER 2 LEGAL AND REGULATORY REGIMES 41
2.1 Current space regulations and standards 42
2.1.1 Legal and regulatory framework 42
2.1.1.1 National organizations 42
2.1.1.1.1 United States Governmental Agencies 42
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 42
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 43
U.S. Department of Defence (DOD) 44
2.1.1.1.2 Non-governmental organizations in the United States 44
Centre for Space Standards and Innovation (CSSI) 44
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) 44
2.1.1.1.3 Canada 45
2.1.1.1.4 France 45
2.1.1.1.5 United Kingdom 48
2.1.1.1.6 Russian Federation 22 48
2.1.1.1.7 Ukraine 49
2.1.1.2 International cooperation 50
2.1.1.2.1 Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) 50
2.1.1.2.2 United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) 51
2.1.1.2.3 Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) 52
2.1.1.2.4 European union: proposed code of conduct for outer space activities 53
2.1.2 Existing International Space Safety Standards 54
2.1.2.1 European Space Safety Standards 54
2.1.2.2 International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standards 40 57
2.2 Existing international civil regulatory frameworks, other activities or environments 60
2.2.1 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)41 61
2.2.2 International Telecommunication Union (ITU)51 64
2.2.3 International Maritime Organization (IMO)56 66
2.2.4 Other sources of international law 67
2.3 Transition from air law and space law to aerospace law 70
2.3.1 Introduction 70
2.3.2 Space law conventions 71
2.3.3 Boundary between airspace and outer space 74
2.3.3.1 Spatialist approach: precisely, where is it? 75
2.3.3.1.1 Territorial airspace 76
2.3.3.1.2 Airspace above the high seas 77
2.3.3.1.3 Outer space 77
2.3.3.1.4 Problems with the spatialist approach 78
2.3.3.2 Functionalist approach: precisely, what is it? 79
2.3.3.2.1 Aircraft 79
2.3.3.2.2 Space objects 81
2.3.3.2.3 Aerospace vehicles 81
2.3.3.2.4 Problems with the functionalist approach 81
2.3.4 Need for a unified legal regime 82
CHAPTER 3 SAFETY ISSUES 90
3.1 Safety issues 91
3.1.1 Launch site processing and ground safety 91
3.1.2 Flight hardware, ground support equipment, and COTS 92
3.2 Launch safety 94
3.3 Suborbital safety 99
3.4 Orbital safety issues 102
3.4.1 Orbital debris 102
3.4.2 Collision risk with orbital debris 104
3.4.3 Collision risk to human spaceflight 105
3.4.4 Orbital debris ground risk 107
3.5 Returning vehicles risk 111
3.5.1 Risk to people on the ground 111
3.5.2 Risk to people in aircraft 113
3.6 Saving lives in space missions 116
3.6.1 Extending international search and rescue 116
3.6.2 Ascent emergencies 116
3.6.3 Orbital safety and rescue 117
3.6.4 Ionizing radiation risk for human spaceflight 119
CHAPTER 4 NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL SPACE SAFETY REGULATIONS 120
4.1 Need for international regulation of STM, space tourism & space debris
4.1.1 Commonality or un-commonality of ground standards 121
4.1.2 Comprehensive regulatory approach to space traffic management 122
4.1.2.1 Legal basis for potential STM regime 124
4.1.2.2 Comparable traffic management regime 127
4.1.2.3 Other considerations for setting up an STM system 128
4.1.3 International regulation of aerospace vehicles for space tourism 129
4.1.4 International regulation of orbital debris 131
CHAPTER 5 PROPOSAL FOR A NEW REGULATORY REGIME 134
5.1 ICAO for near-space safety? 135
5.1.1 Background 135
5.1.2 Management of space-bound traffic through international airspace 136
5.1.3 Integration of aviation and space infrastructure 138
5.1.4 Integrated terrestrial and space weather forecasts 139
5.1.5 ICAO for an improved international spacesafety culture 140
5.2 Proposal for a new regulatory regime 142
5.2.1 Policy principle 142
5.2.2 Regulatory model 144
5.2.3 Space safety oversight operating model 144
5.2.4 ICAO for space organization 147
5.2.5 General description of the safety certification process 153
5.2.6 Suggested ICAO for space regulatory implementation 154
Appendix A Relevant excerpts of the ITU constitution and convention 156
Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union 156
Preamble 156
Convention of the International Telecommunication Union 163
Resolution 16 (Rev. Minneapolis, 1998) 169
Appendix B Relevant excerpts of the convention on international civil aviation (Signed at Chicago, on 7 December 1944) –Chicago convention 171
Excerpts from Part I: Air navigation 171
Chapter I: General principles and application of the convention 171
Chapter VI: International standards and recommended practices 174
Excerpts from Part II: The international civil aviation organization 177
Chapter VII: The organization 177
Excerpts from Part III: International air transport 177
Chapter XIV: Information and reports 177
Chapter XV: Airports and other air navigation facilities 178
Relevant excerpts from Annex 1 to Chicago convention – personnel licensing 178
Chapter 1: Definitions and general rules concerning licences (excerpts) 178
Chapter 2: Licences and Ratings for Pilots (Excerpts) 180
Relevant excerpts from Annex 6 to the Chicago convention – operation of aircraft 183
Chapter 3: General (excerpts) 183
Chapter 4: Flight Operations (excerpts) 184
Relevant excerpts from Annex 8 to the Chicago convention: airworthiness of aircraft 186
Chapter 1: Type Certification (excerpts) 186
Chapter 2: Production (excerpts) 187
Chapter 3: Certificate of Airworthiness (excerpts) 188
Part III: Large aeroplanes 189
Part IIIA: Aeroplanes over 5700 kg for which application for certification was submitted on or after 13 June 1960 but before 2 March 2004 189
Chapter 1: General (excerpts) 189
Chapter 2: Flight (excerpts) 189
Chapter 3: Structures (excerpts) 190
Chapter 4: Design and Construction (excerpts) 190
Chapter 8: Instruments and Equipment (excerpts) 191
Chapter 10: Continuing Airworthiness – Maintenance Information (excerpts) 192
Appendix C Model code of conduct for space-faring nations2 193
Central Objective of this Code of Conduct 193
Preamble 193
About the editors 197