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§ 417.17
Launch reporting requirements and launch specific updates.
(a) General. A launch operator must satisfy the launch reporting requirements and launch specific updates required by this section and by the terms of the launch operator's license. A launch operator must file any change to the information in the license application, not identified by this section, with the FAA as a request for license modification as required by § 417.11.
(b) Launch reporting requirements for a launch from a Federal launch range or a non-Federal launch site.
(1) Launch schedule and point of contact. For each launch, a launch operator must file a launch schedule that identifies each review, rehearsal, and safety critical launch processing. A launch operator must file a point of contact for the schedule. The launch schedule must be filed and updated in time to allow FAA personnel to participate in the reviews, rehearsals, and safety critical launch processing.
(2) Sixty-day report. Not later than 60 days before each flight conducted under a launch operator license, a launch operator must provide the FAA the following launch-specific information:
(i) Payload information required by § 415.59 of this chapter; and
(ii) Flight information, including the launch vehicle, planned flight path, staging and impact locations, and any on-orbit activity of the launch vehicle, including each payload delivery point.
(3) U.S. Space Command Launch Notification. Not later than noon, EST, 15 days before each licensed flight, a launch operator must file a completed Federal Aviation Administration/U.S. Space Command (FAA/USSPACECOM) Launch Notification Form (OMB No. 2120-0608) with the FAA.
(c) Launch specific updates for a launch from a non-Federal launch site. A launch operator must file a launch specific update, required by this part, and any required by the terms of the launch license, for every substantive change to the information outlined in this part. For each launch, a launch operator must file the following launch specific updates:
(1) Flight safety system test schedule. For each launch of a launch vehicle flown with a flight safety system, a launch operator must file an updated flight safety system test schedule and points of contact no later than six months before flight. A launch operator must immediately file any later change to ensure that the FAA has the most current data.
(2) Launch plans. A launch operator must file any changes or additions to its launch plans required by § 417.111 to the FAA no later than 15 days before the associated activity is to take place. A launch operator must file the countdown plan with the FAA no later than 15 days before the countdown is to take place. If a change involves the addition of a new public hazard or the elimination of any control for a previously identified public hazard, a launch operator must request a license modification under § 417.11.
(3) Thirty-day flight safety analysis update. A launch operator must file updated flight safety analysis products, using previously approved methodologies, for each launch no later than 30 days before flight.
(i) The launch operator:
(A) Must account for vehicle and mission specific input data;
(B) May reference previously approved analysis products and data that are applicable to the launch or data that is applicable to a series of launches;
(C) Must account for potential variations in input data that may affect any analysis product within the final 30 days before flight;
(D) Must file the analysis products using the same format and organization used in its license application; and
(E) May not change an analysis product within the final 30 days before flight unless the launch operator identified a process for making a change in that period as part of the launch operator's flight safety analysis process and the FAA approved the process by grant of a license to the launch operator.
(ii) A launch operator need not file the 30-day analysis if the launch operator:
(A) Demonstrates that the analysis filed during the license application process satisfies all the requirements of this subpart; and
(B) Demonstrates the analysis does not need to be updated to account for launch specific factors.
(4) Flight termination system qualification test reports. For the launch of a launch vehicle flown with a flight safety system, a launch operator must file all flight termination system qualification test reports, or test report summaries, as required by section E417.1(i) of appendix E of this part, with the FAA no later than six months before the first flight attempt . The summary must identify when and where the tests were performed and provide the results. Complete qualification test reports must be made available to the FAA upon request.
(5) Flight termination system acceptance and age surveillance test report summaries. For the launch of a launch vehicle flown with a flight safety system, a launch operator must file a summary of the results of each flight termination system acceptance and age surveillance test, or the complete test report, as required by section E417.1(i) of appendix E of this part, no later than 30 days before the first flight attempt for each launch . The summary must identify when and where the tests were performed and provide the results. Complete acceptance and age surveillance test reports must be made available to the FAA upon request.
(6) Command control system acceptance test reports. For the launch of a launch vehicle flown with a flight safety system, a launch operator must file all command control system acceptance test reports, or test report summaries, as required by § 417.305(d), with the FAA no later than 30 days before the first flight attempt. The summary must identify when and where the tests were performed and provide the results. Complete acceptance test reports must be made available to the FAA upon request.
(7) Ground safety analysis report updates. A launch operator must file ground safety analysis report updates with the FAA as soon as the need for the change is identified and at least 30 days before the associated activity takes place. A launch operator must file a license modification request with the FAA for each change that involves the addition of a hazard that can affect public safety or the elimination of a previously identified hazard control for a hazard that still exists.