[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 90 (Thursday, May 9, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20461-20462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-09588]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No.: FAA-2019-0229]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments; 
Clearance of a New Approval of Information Collection: Launch and 
Reentry Licensing Requirements

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
FAA invites public comments on its proposed collection of information 
pursuant to changes to the FAA's commercial space transportation 
regulations proposed in the ``Streamlined Launch and Reentry Licensing 
Requirements'' notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). A copy of the NPRM 
is available in the docket for this notice. This information collection 
would consolidate two previously approved information collections under 
one, new OMB Control Number. This collection would allow the FAA to 
continue ensuring commercial space activities do not unduly jeopardize 
public health and safety, safety of property, or the national security 
and foreign policy interests of the United States. The FAA intends to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's approval of this 
information collection.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by July 8, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to:
    By Electronic Docket: www.regulations.gov (Enter docket number FAA-
2019-0229 into search field).
    By mail: Shirley McBride, Program Manager, Federal Aviation 
Administration, AST-300, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20591.
    By fax: 202-267-5463.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shirley McBride, Program Manager, by 
email at: [email protected]; phone: 202-267-7470.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for FAA's performance; (b) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA to enhance the 
quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (d) 
ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of 
the collected information. The agency will summarize and/or include 
your comments in the request for OMB's clearance of this information 
collection.
    OMB Control Number: 2120-NEW.
    Title: Streamlined Launch and Reentry Licensing Requirements.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Type of Review: This is a request for OMB clearance of an 
information collection that would consolidate two previous collections 
\1\ into one collection under a new OMB Control Number.\2\
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    \1\ OMB Control Number 2120-0608: Title 14 CFR, Parts 401, 413, 
415, 417; Licensing and Safety Requirements for Launch (For 
Expendable Launch Vehicle). OMB Control Number 2120-0643: Title 14 
CFR, Parts 431, 435; Commercial Space Transportation Reusable Launch 
Vehicle Mission Licensing Regulations (Part 431) and Commercial 
Space Transportation Reentry of a Vehicle Other Than a Reusable 
Launch Vehicle Licensing Regulations (Part 435).
    \2\ OMB Control Number 2120-NEW: Title 14 CFR, Parts 401, 413, 
450; Launch and Reentry Licensing Requirements.
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    Background: 51 U.S.C. Chapter 509 requires that the FAA oversee 
commercial space transportation activities in the United States, or 
conducted by United States citizens abroad, to ensure they do not 
unduly jeopardize the public health and safety, safety of property, or 
national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. 
Generally speaking, Chapter 509 requires a person to obtain a license 
to launch or reenter a vehicle from or to the United States, or a U.S. 
citizen to obtain a license to launch or reenter a vehicle from or to a 
point outside the United States.
    On April 15, 2019, the FAA published the NPRM titled ``Streamlined 
Launch and Reentry Licensing Requirements,'' a copy of which you can 
find in the docket to this notice. The proposed rule would streamline 
and increase flexibility in the FAA's commercial space regulations; 
remove obsolete requirements; and, consolidate and revise multiple 
regulatory parts to apply a single set of licensing and safety 
regulations across several types of launch and reentry activities and 
related vehicles. Specifically, the NPRM would eliminate current parts 
415, 417, 431, and 435 and replace them with part 450, an updated, 
streamlined, and consolidated version of the previous requirements. The 
FAA collected information for those parts pursuant to OMB Control 
Numbers 2120-0608 and 2120-0643. As a result, the two current 
Information Collection Requirements \3\ associated with those 
eliminated parts would be obsolete. The FAA proposes to replace the 
obsolete Information Collection Requirements with a new collection 
associated with proposed part 450. The new collection reflects the 
proposed requirements described in detail in the referenced NPRM and 
summarized below.
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    \3\ Ibid.
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    Parts 413 and 450 collectively identify information applicants must 
submit for a vehicle operator license. Part 413 (Sec.  413.7) sets the 
manner for submitting an application. Part 450 Subpart B (Requirements 
to obtain a vehicle operator license) sets the broad application 
requirements to obtain a vehicle operator license. For example, Sec.  
450.41 sets requirements for policy review, Sec.  450.43 for payload 
review, Sec.  450.45 covers safety, and Sec.  450.47 addresses 
environmental requirements. Part 450 subpart C (Safety requirements) 
focuses on safety requirements, some of which must be satisfied by the 
time of application while others apply post-license. Applicants must, 
therefore, provide the FAA information showing regulatory compliance 
both as part of the application and after the FAA grants a license. 
Part 450 subpart D (Terms and conditions of a vehicle operator license) 
contains requirements for continuing accuracy of a license and 
application for modification of a license (Sec.  450.211), preflight 
reporting (Sec.  450.213), post-flight reporting (Sec.  450.215), and 
registration of space objects (Sec.  450.217.)
    The FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) uses the 
information to ensure commercial space activities in the United States, 
or conducted by United States citizens abroad, do not jeopardize the 
public health and safety, safety of property, or national security or 
foreign policy interests of the United States. AST uses the data to 
assess the risk to public health and safety, and the safety of 
property. Risk must remain within the limits set in FAA regulations. 
AST shares other information with government partners (e.g., the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, U.S. Department of 
Defense, U.S. Department of State) during payload and policy reviews to 
ensure the

[[Page 20462]]

proposed activities do not present unacceptable national security or 
foreign policy implications for the United States.
    The FAA collects information before and after the issuance of a 
vehicle operator license. An applicant's license proposal is assessed 
in terms of significant policy issues affecting the national security, 
foreign policy interests, or international obligations of the United 
States. Information collected allows AST to make a preliminary 
assessment of a proposed launch or reentry prior to beginning general 
licensing application procedures. The applicant must also demonstrate 
that it can safely launch, including with a payload if any, or reenter 
its vehicle. To this end, AST's safety evaluation process requires an 
applicant to submit information that includes a description of its 
system safety program, hazard control strategy, and mishap response 
plan. Also, operators must meet preflight and post-flight reporting 
requirements.
    Additionally, Article IV of the 1975 Convention on Registration of 
Objects Launched Into Outer Space (Registration of Space Objects), to 
which the United States is a signatory, requires details about the 
orbit of each space object. To meet this obligation, the FAA requires 
operators to register with AST the name and mission of any payload.
    Further, according to the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policies Act, 42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq., (NEPA), the 
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the 
Procedural Provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR parts 1500-1508, and the DOT's 
Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts, (that is, DOT Order 
5610.1C), applicants must submit environmental information to AST. This 
includes information concerning proposed new launch or reentry sites 
and launch or reentry vehicles not currently described in the 
environmental impact statements, as well as payloads that may have 
significant environmental impacts if a launch or reentry accident 
occurs.
    For the most part, the information the FAA collects is not 
collected by other government entities. However, the FAA works with 
regulated entities and other government agencies to identify areas of 
duplication. To the extent the FAA identifies duplication, the FAA 
encourages regulated entities to submit the previously submitted 
documentation to the FAA in its original format. In general, an 
applicant can submit information in any format. Unique information 
routinely constitutes a small portion of the data collected. 
Furthermore, instead of resubmitting a document to the FAA, the FAA 
allows a regulated entity to reference previously submitted materials 
(highlighting any changes).
    The FAA expects the information received under prior OMB Control 
Numbers 2120-0608 and 2120-0643 to be substantively similar to the 
information received under the new OMB control number.
    Respondents: All entities wishing to obtain or maintain a vehicle 
operator license to conduct commercial space launch or reentry 
activities would be required to report information from this 
collection.
    Frequency: An operator may submit an initial application for one or 
multiple launches or reentries or may modify an existing license or may 
renew an existing license. The FAA estimates it would receive on 
average 5 initial applications, 9 modifications, and 3 renewals 
annually.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: Each initial application is 
estimated to take 2,903 hours, each modification is estimated to take 
1,452 hours and each license renewal is expected to take 290 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: The estimated total average annual 
burden hours is 27,000 hours.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 3, 2019.
Kelvin B. Coleman,
Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Commercial Space 
Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2019-09588 Filed 5-8-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P