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Sample Experimental Permit Application for a Vertical Launch and Landing Reusable Suborbital Rocket Version 1.1 April 2007 Federal Aviation Administration Commercial Space Transportation 800 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 331 Washington, DC 2059 NOTICE Use of trade names or the names of manufacturers or professional associations in this document does not constitute an official endorsement of such products, manufacturers, or associations, either expressed or implied, by the Federal Aviation Administration. Preface The Purpose. This “Sample Experimental Permit Application for a Vertical Launch and Landing Reusable Suborbital Rocket” is an example of an application that allows the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) to initiate the reviews required to make an Experimental Permit determination. The approach described here provides one acceptable means to satisfy the requirements for an experimental permit application for a vertical launch and landing reusable suborbital rocket with a crew. This Sample Experimental Permit Application does not set mandatory requirements and does not constitute a standard or regulation. We issue it to describe an acceptable means, but not the only means, for demonstrating compliance with Experimental Permit application requirements. Other approaches that fulfill regulatory objectives may be acceptable to the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation. The Background. An applicant seeking to conduct launches or reentries under an Experimental Permit must submit an application to the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation. The FAA performs an initial screening or review of the application to determine if the information provided is “complete enough” to initiate the permit review process. We use Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 437 Experimental Permits as a guide. After completing our initial review, we notify the applicant of the following: 1) The FAA accepts the application and will initiate the reviews and evaluations required to make a decision about the permit; or 2) The application is so incomplete or indefinite that the FAA cannot start to evaluate it. Once the FAA accepts an application and determines that it is complete enough, we have 120 days to make a permit determination as to whether-or-not to issue an Experimental Permit to the applicant. If the application is not complete enough, we notify the applicant in writing that the application lacks enough information to complete the evaluations and approvals required for a permit determination, or that issues exist that would negatively affect a permit determination. BlueSky Aerospace’s Experimental Permit Application. The vehicle and concept of operations described in this sample permit application are those of a vertical launch and landing reusable suborbital rocket. Based on a hypothetical scenario, BlueSky Aerospace—a fictitious company—proposes to develop a reusable vertical launch and landing rocket to be flown for the purpose of research and development. BlueSky seeks an FAA Experimental Permit to conduct its research and development tests within an operating area located south of SpaceCity, MyState. This potential operator proposes a two-tiered development program: 1) The short-term goal is to conduct launches, under an Experimental Permit, to 40,000 ft (12 km) and 328,000 ft (100 km) with a crewed suborbital rocket; 2) The long-term goal is to develop an operational reusable suborbital launch vehicle capable of carrying one pilot and two paying passengers to an altitude of 100 km in order to experience about four minutes of zero gravity. BlueSky will seek a Launch License to operate this reusable suborbital launch vehicle. The following attachment demonstrates the submittals BlueSky should provide to the FAA as part of its application for an Experimental Permit. Earnest J. Rocketman, Ph.D. President and Chief Scientist BlueSky Aerospace 123 Milky Way SpaceCity, MyState 12345 September 12, 2006 Federal Aviation Administration Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation Room 331 800 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20591 Attention: Application Review BlueSky Aerospace is pleased to submit the enclosed application for an Experimental Permit for our proposed reusable vertical take-off, vertical landing suborbital vehicle operating out of the New Frontier Spaceport in MyState. The permitted vehicle will be flown for the purpose of research and development. Certificate of Accuracy I, Earnest J. Rocketman, as an officer or individual authorized to act for the corporation in permitting matters, certify this document as true, complete, and accurate. Confidentiality Request This application for an Experimental Permit contains trade secrets and proprietary commercial data that BlueSky Aerospace requests the FAA treat as confidential. Please direct inquiries and correspondence to me at the above address, or call me at (777) 1234567. Respectfully yours, Earnest J. Rocketman, Ph.D. President and Chief Scientist BlueSky Aerospace Experimental Permit Application for a Vertical Launch & Landing Reusable Suborbital Rocket Table of Contents 1. Program Description............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Program Description [§437.23]....................................................................................... 1 1.2 Vehicle Description [§437.23(a) & §437.23(b)(1-3)] ..................................................... 1 1.2.1 Description of Reusable Suborbital Rocket Systems [§437.23(b)(1)] .................. 5 1.2.1.1 Structural System Overview ............................................................................. 5 1.2.1.2 Thermal System Overview................................................................................ 6 1.2.1.3 Propulsion System Overview............................................................................ 7 1.2.1.4 Landing System Overview................................................................................ 9 1.2.1.5 Avionics and Guidance System Overview........................................................ 9 1.2.1.6 Flight Control System Overview .................................................................... 10 1.2.1.7 Environmental Control System Overview ...................................................... 11 1.2.1.8 Pneumatic/Hydraulic System Overview ......................................................... 11 1.2.1.9 Electrical System Overview............................................................................ 11 1.2.1.10 Software and Computing Systems Overview ................................................. 12 1.3 Vehicle Purpose [§437.23(b)(4)] .................................................................................. 12 1.4 Payload Description [§437.23(b)(5)] ............................................................................ 12 1.5 Foreign Ownership [§437.23(c)]................................................................................... 12 2. Flight Test Plan..................................................................................................................... 12 2.1 Flight Test Plan Description [§437.25(a)]..................................................................... 12 2.2 Description of Proposed Operating Area(s) [§437.25(b-c)].......................................... 14 3. Operational Safety Documentation....................................................................................... 17 3.1 Pre-Flight and Post-Flight Operations [§437.27 & §437.53(a-b)] ................................ 17 3.2 Hazard Analysis [§437.29 & §437.55(a)] ..................................................................... 18 3.3 Operating Area Containment ........................................................................................ 20 3.3.1 Methods of Containment [§437.31 & §437.57(a)].............................................. 20 3.3.2 Population [§437.31(a) & §437.57(b)]................................................................ 20 3.3.3 Significant Traffic [§437.31(a) & §437.57(b)].................................................... 21 3.4 Key Flight-Safety Event Limitations ............................................................................ 22 3.4.1 Key Flight-Safety Events [§437.31(b) & §437.59(a)]......................................... 22 3.4.2 Reentry Impact Point [§437.31(b) & §437.59(b)]............................................... 23 3.5 Landing and Impact Locations [§437.33 & §437.61] ................................................... 25 3.6 Agreements [§437.35 & §437.63]................................................................................. 25 3.7 Collision Avoidance Analysis [§437.65] ...................................................................... 25 3.8 Tracking a Reusable Suborbital Rocket [§437.37 & §437.67] ..................................... 25 3.9 Flight Rules ................................................................................................................... 26 3.9.1 Pre-Flight Checklist [§437.39 & §437.71(a)]...................................................... 26 3.9.2 All Phases of Flight [§437.39 & §437.71(b)]...................................................... 26 3.10 Mishap Response [§437.41 & §437.75(b)] ................................................................... 26 4. Environmental Impacts Analysis Information [§437.21(b)(1)] ............................................ 26 5. Compliance with Additional Requirements.......................................................................... 27 5.1 Information Requirements for Operations with Flight Crew and Space Flight Participants [§437.21(b)(3), Part 460]........................................................................... 27 5.1.1 Crew Qualifications and Training [§437.21(b)(3), §460.5 & §460.7] ................ 27 -i- 5.1.2 Environmental Control and Life Support Systems [§437.21(b)(3), §460.11]..... 27 5.1.3 Smoke Detection and Fire Suppression [§437.21(b)(3), §460.13]...................... 28 5.1.4 Human Factors [§437.21(b)(3), §460.15]............................................................ 28 5.1.5 Verification Program [§437.21(b)(3), §460.17] .................................................. 28 5.1.6 Spaceflight Participant Training [§437.21(b)(3), §460.51]................................. 28 5.1.7 Security [§437.21(b)(3), §460.53]....................................................................... 28 5.2 Information Requirements for Obtaining a Maximum Probable Loss Determination for Permitted Activities [§437.21(b)(2); Appendix A to Part 440, Part 3] ......................... 29 5.2.1 Identification of Location For Pre-Flight and Post-Flight Operations [Appendix A to Part 440, Part 3A]........................................................................................ 29 5.2.2 Identification of Facilities Adjacent to the Location of Pre-Flight and Post-Flight Operations [Appendix A to Part 440, Part 3B].................................................... 29 5.2.3 Maximum Personnel Not Involved in Permitted Activities That May Be Exposed to Risk During Pre-Flight and Post-Flight Operations [Appendix A to Part 440, Part 3C] ............................................................................................................... 29 6. Vehicle Inspection [§437.21(d)] ........................................................................................... 29 7. Acronyms.............................................................................................................................. 29 Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 31 Appendix A: Details and Assumptions of the Monte Carlo Analysis ................................ 32 Appendix B: BlueSky Checklist and Flight Rules.............................................................. 34 Appendix C: List of Supporting Documentation................................................................ 36 Appendix D: BlueSky Aerospace Hazard Analysis ........................................................... 37 Appendix E: BlueSky Verification Schedule ..................................................................... 58 - ii - Figures Figure 1: Vehicle Mass Properties (Flight to 328,000 ft)................................................................ 1 Figure 2: Vehicle Dimensions ......................................................................................................... 2 Figure 3: Rocket Engine Thrust Profile (Flight to 328,000 ft) ........................................................ 3 Figure 4: Mission Profile................................................................................................................. 4 Figure 5: Primary Structural Components....................................................................................... 6 Figure 6: RCS Thruster Location .................................................................................................... 8 Figure 7: Location of New Frontier Spaceport.............................................................................. 15 Figure 8: Operating Areas for Test Flights.................................................................................... 16 Figure 9: Population Density for New Frontier Spaceport and Operating Areas.......................... 21 Figure 10: Three-Sigma Dispersion Ellipses for Flights to 40,000 ft............................................ 23 Figure 11: Three-Sigma Dispersion Ellipses for Flights to 328,000 ft.......................................... 24 Figure 12: Operating Area for the Primary Trajectory (Flights to 328,000 ft), Determined by Impacts from Malfunction Turn Failures................................................................... 33 - iii - Tables Table 1 Planned Flight Test Summary .......................................................................................... 13 Table 2 Severity of Hazard............................................................................................................ 19 Table 3 Likelihood of Occurrence of Hazard................................................................................ 19 Table 4 Risk Acceptability Matrix ................................................................................................ 20 Table 5 Location of Key Flight-Safety Events IIPs (Primary Flight Test Operating Areas) ........ 22 - iv - 1. Program Description 1.1 Program Description [§437.23] BlueSky Aerospace is developing a suborbital launch program with the short-term and long-term goals of launching and landing a reusable suborbital rocket in an area south of SpaceCity, MyState. Our vehicle, the Vertical-Sky-1 or VS-1, will operate in an area owned by New Frontier Spaceport. The short-term goal is to launch the VS-1 for the purpose of research and development. This vehicle will carry only a pilot aboard. We are seeking an FAA Experimental Permit to conduct these research and development tests with our VS-1 vehicle. The long-term goal of our program is to develop a reusable suborbital launch vehicle (VerticalSky-2 or VS-2) capable of carrying one pilot and two paying passengers to an altitude of 100 km so that the passengers can experience about four minutes of zero gravity. We plan to operate this vehicle under an FAA Launch License. 1.2 Vehicle Description [§437.23(a) & §437.23(b)(1-3)] The Vertical-Sky-1 is a vertical launch single-stage vehicle that launches using a bi-propellant rocket engine burning RP-1 as the fuel and liquid oxygen as the oxidizer. The vehicle’s dry weight is 3,978 lb. Gross liftoff weight is approximately 10,266 lb. Our rocket engine has a sea level thrust of 14,500 lb. The vehicle length is 23.2 ft and its diameter is 5.0 ft. Figure 1 and Figure 2 provide the vehicle’s mass properties and dimensions, respectively. Figure 3 presents the thrust profile of the rocket engine during the rocket burn. Weight (lb) Structure Thermal Protection Landing System Propulsion System Power Avionics Environmental Control Personnel Provisions Dry Weight 1809 95 286 620 259 351 234 324 3978 RCS Propellant Landing Propellant Residuals/Reserves Ascent Propellant Propellant Weight 11 293 91 5603 5998 Crew Gross Weight 250 10226 Figure 1: Vehicle Mass Properties (Flight to 328,000 ft) -1- Figure 2: Vehicle Dimensions -2- Thrust vs. Time 25,000 Thrust (lb) 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Time (sec) Figure 3: Rocket Engine Thrust Profile (Flight to 328,000 ft) -3- 90 100 3. Coast to Apogee 4. Atmosphere Reentry 5. Drogue Chute Deploy 2. Engine Cutoff 6. Main Chute Deploy 7. Powered Vertical Landing 1. Vehicle Liftoff Figure 4: Mission Profile Figure 4 depicts a typical mission profile for the vehicle. During experimental permitted flighttesting, the pilot will be the only human aboard the vehicle and will have full control of the vehicle from liftoff to landing. The mission begins with a vertical launch from a launch pad on the New Frontier Spaceport. After rocket engine cutoff, the vehicle coasts to an altitude of 328,000 ft (100 km), and then re-enters the atmosphere. A drogue chute deploys first, followed by the main parachute to reduce the vehicle’s airspeed. At an altitude of approximately 200 ft, the pilot ignites the main rocket engine for a powered vertical landing at a downrange site. -4- 1.2.1 1.2.1.1 Description of Reusable Suborbital Rocket Systems [§437.23(b)(1)] Structural System Overview As presented in Figure 5, the structure of the vehicle consists of three primary components—the aft structure, the crew cabin structure, and the nose cone structure—all of which are constructed with skin-stringer aluminum. The nosecone is topped with a high-temperature titanium plug. The aft structure houses the main rocket engine, the oxidizer and fuel tanks, the landing gear, and the aft reaction control system (RCS) thrusters and tanks. The nose cone structure houses the avionics, the parachutes, and the nose RCS thrusters and tanks, and is maintained at cabin temperature and pressure. The crew cabin has seating for one pilot forward and two passengers aft. The pilot seat has a center stick for pitch, roll, and yaw control. The flight control system will be described in more detail in the Flight Control System Overview section. The crew cabin is pressurized to 12 psi for normal operations. BlueSky used the following FAA/AST guidance document to determine the appropriate verification safety factors for all structures: FAA/AST Guide to Verifying SafetyCritical Structures for Reusable Launch and Reentry Vehicles. The environmental control system will be described in more detail in the Environmental Control System Overview section. The crew cabin has four dual-paned windows made of homogeneous plastic, to provide outside observation during the flight. A dehumidifier fan in the nose cone blows re-circulated cabin air between the two windowpanes of the four windows so that they do not fog over. The crew cabin has a hatch on the port side that provides entry and exit for the pilot. -5- Figure 5: Primary Structural Components 1.2.1.2 Thermal System Overview The vehicle has a thermal protection coating to protect the structure from heating during atmospheric reentry. This coating maintains the temperature of the underlying structure to less than 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The material used to provide the thermal protection for this vehicle is called sparesyl. This is a spray-on foam currently being used on expendable launch vehicle’s (ELV’s) payload fairings. Once applied to the vehicle, the sparesyl material protects the vehicle over many flights, and is easily inspected between flights. The thickness of the sparesyl tapers from 0.25 inch at the tip of the nose to 0.10 inch a foot aft of the tip of the nose. From that point the thickness is maintained at 0.10 inch. The sparesyl material is initially sprayed onto the outer surface of the vehicle. It is then molded to the desired thickness using trowels. Between flights, we will inspect the sparesyl coating. If any flight conditions do exceed the temperature limits of the sparesyl material, the resultant high outer skin temperature will produce first scorching; then charring, and possibly ablation. All these conditions will be evident upon inspection, and we can easily apply additional sparesyl before the next flight. -6- 1.2.1.3 Propulsion System Overview The propulsion system consists of the main rocket engine, which is used during the ascent and descent burns, and the reaction control system (RCS), which is used for attitude control. The main propulsion system, our F-300 engine, consists of a single liquid propellant rocket engine using RP-1 for the fuel and liquid oxygen for the oxidizer. MyOwnRocket Inc, a contractor to BlueSky Aerospace, is building the F-300 engine. It has a sea level thrust of 14,500 lb and produces a moderate-level vacuum Isp of 300 sec. Figure 3 in the Vehicle Description section presents the thrust profile of the rocket engine during the rocket burn, where the increasing thrust is due to the reduction in atmospheric density during ascent. The rocket engine is a very simple, low-cost design. It does not have throttle or gimbal capabilities. It burns for approximately 85 seconds during liftoff, and relights for approximately 10 seconds during the vertical landing of the vehicle. The fuel and oxidizer tanks are constructed with monocoque aluminum, and are housed in the aft structure. The fuel tank is filled through a fill port in the aft structure above the fuel tank, and has a dump port in the aft structure below the fuel tank. The oxidizer tank, which is the lower tank, is filled through a fill port in the aft structure above the oxidizer tank, and has a dump port in the aft structure below the oxidizer tank. In case of anomalies or an emergency during ascent, the pilot can open the oxidizer dump ports to dump the oxidizer from the vehicle. The fill ports and dump ports are connected to the tanks with braided steel flex hose. The plumbing lines connect the fuel and oxidizer tanks to the main rocket engine and are braided steel flex hose. The main function of the RCS propulsion system is to maintain attitude control during the main engine ascent/descent burns and the high-altitude coast phase of the flight. This system is completely controlled by the pilot of the vehicle using the center control stick. The RCS system uses gaseous nitrogen (GN2) as the propellant, and consists of a total of twenty thrusters and two small GN2 fuel tanks pressurized at 5000 psi in the nose and in the aft structure. The GN2 fuel tanks contain the required amount of GN2 for the flight plus an additional 25% as a safety margin. Eight RCS thrusters are embedded in the nose structure. Two thrusters on the right side and two thrusters on the left side provide yaw control. Two thrusters on the top of the nose provide pitch control. The remaining two thrusters, on the right and left side, are canted downward to provide pitch and yaw control. One of the two GN2 tanks is mounted in the nose structure, and plumbing lines run from the tank to the eight nose thrusters. Twelve RCS thrusters are embedded in the aft structure, with eight of the thrusters situated in a similar fashion to the thrusters on the nose to provide roll, pitch, and yaw control. The remaining four RCS thrusters are mounted to the inside base of the aft structure, at four points of the circle, to provide for additional pilot control during the powered landing of the vehicle. These base thrusters are fired to maintain the vehicle’s vertical orientation during the landing. One of the two GN2 tanks is mounted in the aft structure, and plumbing lines run from the tank to the twelve aft thrusters. -7- By pairing the thrusters for roll, pitch, and yaw control, the system is dually redundant. Figure 6 depicts the locations of the twenty RCS thrusters. Nose Pitch/Roll Thrusters 2 canted downward Aft Pitch/Roll Thrusters 2 canted downward Figure 6: RCS Thruster Location -8- 1.2.1.4 Landing System Overview The landing system for the BlueSky vehicle consists of two main items—the parachute system and the landing gear. The parachute system is housed in the nose cone structure, and is maintained at cabin temperature and pressure throughout the flight. The parachute system consists of a small drogue chute and a much larger main parachute. The pilot activates the deployment of both parachutes. The pilot deploys the drogue chute after atmospheric reentry to begin the initial deceleration of the vehicle as well as to rotate the vehicle to vertical. Once the vehicle reaches a vertical orientation, the pilot deploys the main parachute for the remainder of the descent. The landing gear is housed in the aft structure of the vehicle. The landing gear consists of four landing struts that are extracted from four structural housings mounted inside the aft structure at four points of the circle. Figure 6 shows the location of the landing gear. The landing gear extends from the aft structure using high-tension springs. Once deployed, there is no on-board retraction capability for the landing gear. The pilot actuates the landing gear using a lever on the instrument panel on the left side of the center console after the parachute has fully deployed and the vehicle is in a stable descent. Though the normal operation of the vehicle calls for the main rocket engine to relight for a powered landing, the landing gear is designed to withstand the forces of an un-powered landing with just the parachutes. The last phase of the landing occurs at an altitude of approximately 200 ft, when the main rocket engine relights for approximately 10 seconds to provide the final deceleration before touchdown. 1.2.1.5 Avionics and Guidance System Overview The avionics and guidance system is composed of a central processor and a navigation box. The central processor, housed in the nose of the vehicle, controls the navigation and vehicle status functions. The navigation box houses the navigational sensors, including three-rate gyros, three accelerometers, two altitude-reporting systems, two Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and antennas, and a telemetry transmitter and antenna. The two GPS antennas and the UHF telemetry antenna are mounted to the outer surface of the top of nose structure, flush with the surface. The information from the processor and the navigation unit is delivered to the pilot through two colored LCD monitors mounted on the center console in front of the pilot. The pilot can track important flight parameters such as altitude, position, velocity, vehicle orientation, projected instantaneous impact point (IIP), and propellant quantities. The fuel and oxidizer tank quantity gauges on the display are marked with a blue line that signifies the point at which the pilot should end the firing of the rocket engine during ascent. A warning system will provide the pilot with audible and visual signals when safe operating ranges of safety-critical flight parameters are exceeded. The central processor also contains a data storage unit that stores all of the vehicle parameters, such as position, velocity, attitude, accelerations, etc., for each flight. This data will be used to conduct the post-flight analysis, as well as to support any anomaly or mishap investigations. The communication system consists of an audio panel on the right side of the center console controlling two communications transceiver radios. The antennas for both radios are mounted to the outer surface of the nose structure in separate positions to allow contact for all possible vehicle attitudes. Only the pilot is wired to the audio panel for radio transmit capabilities. A -9- push-to-talk control for the pilot is located on the center control stick. Our communication system allows for real-time communication between our Ground Command Station and the pilot, as well as real-time communication between the Ground Command Station and ATC. Communications between ATC, Ground Command Station, and pilot that may affect the safety of the flight are recorded at our Ground Command Station. Flight Control System Overview 1.2.1.6 The main flight controls for the pilot consist of the center control stick for pitch, roll, and yaw control. By moving the center control stick the pilot initiates electrical switches that control the firing of the correct combination of RCS thrusters. In addition to controlling the pitch, roll and yaw, the center control stick also has a push-to-talk control for the pilot to operate the radios as described in the Avionics and Guidance System Overview section and an engine on/off Fail-Safe Switch to control the fuel and oxidizer flow valves of the main engine. This Fail-Safe Switch is designed such that the rocket shuts down if the pilot releases the switch. The pilot holds down the engine on/off switch in order to fire the main rocket engine to begin the ascent, and releases the on/off switch once the vehicle has reached the target burnout conditions. The pilot also activates the engine on/off switch to fire the main rocket engine during landing. The pilot can release the engine on/off control at any time. At that point the rocket engine will stop firing. This capability allows for rocket engine shutoff during emergency conditions. The instrument panel, located on the left side of the center console, contains the remaining flight controls. Most of these are on/off controls that are used during the various phases of flight. They are the: - Engine Arm Switch, RCS Arm switch, Parachute Enable Switch, Drogue Chute Deploy Button, Main Chute Deploy Button, Landing Gear Deploy Lever, Battery Select Dial, and Oxidizer Dump Switch. The Engine Arm Switch is activated before launch and enables the engine on/off control on the center control stick. The RCS Arm Switch is also activated before launch and enables the RCS control by the center control stick. The Parachute Enable Switch is activated during atmospheric reentry to enable the drogue and main chute controls. The Drogue Chute Deploy Button is pushed after atmospheric reentry to deploy the drogue chute to initiate deceleration of the vehicle as well as to rotate the vehicle to vertical. The Main Chute Deploy Button is pushed once the vehicle is in a vertical orientation, deploying the main chute for the remainder of the descent. The Landing Gear Deploy Lever is used to lower the landing gear after the parachute has fully deployed and the vehicle is in a stable descent. Once deployed the landing gear cannot be retracted during the flight. Using the Battery Select Dial, the pilot can manually select between the two batteries. - 10 - The Oxidizer Dump Switch is used to enable the pilot to dump the oxidizer under emergency flight conditions. 1.2.1.7 Environmental Control System Overview The environmental control system provides environmental conditions that enable the crew to perform their functions properly. It also helps to defog the windows, as well as provides cooling for the vehicle’s avionics. Two tanks filled with pressurized air at 5000 psi are located in the nose cone of the vehicle. Each tank can provide the required air and pressurization for the entire flight. The pressurized air tanks maintain the crew cabin at near sea level pressure and at room temperature during the entire flight. The conditioned air is also vented through the nose cone of the vehicle to maintain the temperature and pressure of the avionics, flight controls, RCS components, and the parachutes in the nose cone. The air is circulated throughout the crew cabin using an air conditioning unit that consists of fans, a CO2 scrubber, and a dehumidifier. A fan is used to draw air into the CO2 scrubber (which captures CO2 and removes it from the air) and then into the dehumidifier (which traps moisture to dry the air). This clean dried air is then vented back into the cabin. As stated previously in the Structural System Overview section, a second dehumidifier fan in the nose cone blows recirculated cabin air between the two windowpanes so that they do not fog over. The environment of the crew cabin is controlled from the environmental control panel located on the bulkhead to the right of the pilot. One dial controls the main air-conditioning fan, and a second dial controls the window defog fan. Also located on the environmental control panel is a dial for each of the pressurized air tanks. Each of these dials has three settings: off, on, and emergency. For a typical flight, only one of the tanks needs to be turned on. If there is a drop in cabin pressure (caused, for example, by a puncture of the structure), both tanks can be turned to the emergency setting. Air is then vented into the crew cabin to maintain cabin pressure. The environmental control panel also contains environmental indicator gauges, including gauges for crew cabin pressure, temperature, and relative humidity, as well as gauges for CO2 and O2 concentration levels. A warning system will provide the pilot with audible and visual signals when safe operating ranges of these safety-critical flight parameters are exceeded. 1.2.1.8 Pneumatic/Hydraulic System Overview N/A. The vehicle uses only electro-mechanical actuation, and does not contain any pneumatic or hydraulic systems. 1.2.1.9 Electrical System Overview Two lithium-ion batteries housed in the nose structure provide the power for the avionics and guidance system, the flight control system, and the environmental control system. Each battery is capable of providing power for all systems for the duration of the flight, providing for dual redundancy. Using the Battery Select Dial, the pilot can manually select between the two batteries. - 11 - 1.2.1.10 Software and Computing Systems Overview A list of the functional systems that contain software is provided below. The software safety approaches used follow the FAA/AST Guide to Reusable Launch and Reentry Vehicles Software and Computing System Safety. o o o o o o o 1.3 Global Positioning System (GPS) Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) Flight Display Propulsion System Health Monitoring Air Data Sensing Flight Control Systems Environmental Control System Health Monitoring Vehicle Purpose [§437.23(b)(4)] During the experimental phase of the program, the VS-1 will be flown for research and development to test a reusable vertical launch and landing design concept. 1.4 Payload Description [§437.23(b)(5)] BlueSky plans to fly the Atmospheric CO2 Sensor Instrument. The Atmospheric CO2 Sensor Instrument is a scientific payload designed to measure the CO2 levels at various altitudes during flight. 1.5 Foreign Ownership [§437.23(c)] BlueSky Aerospace is a 70% American-owned corporation, with 30% foreign interests or participating entities. World Space Launch International, United Kingdom, controls a 30% stake in BlueSky Aerospace. 2. Flight Test Plan 2.1 Flight Test Plan Description [§437.25(a)] This is an incremental testing program. Our flight test program is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2006. The locations of our tests are the Military Rocket Range and the New Frontier Spaceport. Initial tests will focus on the ground and flight tests of some key systems of our launch vehicle, such as the reaction control system, the parachute deployment system, and the landing system. These tests will provide the verification data to support the mitigation measures of our hazard analysis. Given that these tests do not include the launch of a launch vehicle, they will not require an FAA Experimental Permit. Later tests of our suborbital rocket, the VS-1, will require an Experimental Permit. Table 1 contains a summary of our testing program. - 12 - Table 1 Planned Flight Test Summary Flight Test Location Maximum Altitude Number of Tests With Pilot Exp. Permit Required 1. Helicopter drop test, dummy weight Military Rocket Range 10,000 ft 4 No No 2. Helicopter drop test, no main engine Military Rocket Range 10,000 ft 8 No No 3. Helicopter drop test, with main engine Military Rocket Range 10,000 ft 6 Yes No 4. Vertical launch to 40,000 ft New Frontier Spaceport 40,000 ft 5 Yes Yes 5. Vertical launch to 328,000 ft New Frontier Spaceport 328,000 ft 3 Yes Yes Flight Test #1: The first set of tests will focus on the parachute deployment system. A dummy weight will represent the vehicle during these tests. We will drop the dummy weight and the attached parachute deployment system from a helicopter at an altitude of 10,000 ft. Once clear of the helicopter, the drogue parachute will deploy, followed by the main parachute. Our groundbased remote control will initiate the parachute deployment sequence. Flight Test #2: The second set of tests will demonstrate the un-powered landing sequence of our vehicle with a dummy weight in place of the main rocket engine. The helicopter will carry the vehicle aloft to an altitude of 10,000 ft. The helicopter will drop the vehicle with its landing gear fully deployed and locked in place. The pilot will control the RCS thrusters and the parachute deployment from the ground. The vehicle will land un-powered using its main parachute. Flight Test #3: The third set of tests will demonstrate the powered landing sequence. Our testing helicopter will carry the vehicle to 10,000 ft. The helicopter will then drop the vehicle, with its landing gear fully deployed and locked in place to simulate a typical descent. The pilot will control the RCS thrusters and the parachute deploy from within the vehicle. When the vehicle has descended to an altitude of approximately 200 ft above the ground, the pilot will ignite the main rocket engine to provide the final deceleration until touchdown. As our program progresses the helicopter will drop the vehicle with the landing gear retracted. The pilot will then deploy the landing gear prior to landing. Flight Test #4: The fourth series of tests requires an FAA Experimental Permit. These tests will originate at the New Frontier Spaceport. The vehicle will be mounted onto its launch stand with enough propellant to carry it to an altitude of 40,000 ft, as well as enough propellant for a - 13 - powered landing. An altitude of 40,000 ft will provide sufficient margin for the pilot to deploy the parachutes. The pilot will then deploy the landing gear while using the RCS thrusters to vertically stabilize the vehicle. At approximately 200 ft, the pilot will ignite the main rocket engine to decelerate the vehicle until touchdown. Flight Test #5: The fifth series of tests requires an FAA Experimental Permit. These tests will originate at the New Frontier Spaceport. The vehicle will be mounted on its launch stand with the propellant tanks fully loaded. The pilot will initiate the firing of the main rocket engine carrying the vehicle to an altitude of 328,000 ft. As the vehicle passes back through 30,000 ft, the pilot will initiate the deployment of the drogue parachute, followed by the main parachute. The pilot will then deploy the landing gear and ignite the main rocket engine at approximately 200 ft above the ground for final deceleration and touchdown. List of Key Flight-Safety Events: For the flights originating at the New Frontier Spaceport, the key flight-safety events are the: 2.2 Main rocket engine ignition, Parachute deployment, RCS attitude control ignition sequence, Powered landing, and Envelope expansion flight(s) from 40,000 ft to 328,000 ft. Description of Proposed Operating Area(s) [§437.25(b-c)] The New Frontier Spaceport is located near SpaceCity, MyState. This location lies along the western boundary of the Military Rocket Range, and will benefit from the controlled airspace around the Military Range. The Spaceport encompasses a 27 square mile site consisting of open land with an average elevation of 4,700 ft. The Spaceport facilities include a launch complex, a 12,000 ft runway and aviation complex, a payload assembly complex, a support facilities complex, and a system development complex. The location of the Spaceport, and its proximity to the Military Rocket Range, are presented in Figure 7. The proposed operating areas for our test program are shown in Figure 8. - 14 - Military Rocket Range 195 205 B-City 26 SpaceCity C-City New Frontier Spaceport E-City 309 79 National Forest National Forest 30 D-City 195 F-City 8 Figure 7: Location of New Frontier Spaceport - 15 - Military Rocket Range 195 205 B-City SpaceCity 26 E-City C-City 309 79 National Forest National Forest 30 D-City 195 F-City 8 Figure 8: Operating Areas for Test Flights Initial Test Operating Area: The blue circle in Figure 8 shows the 6 nm radius operating area on the Military Rocket Range that will be used for the helicopter drop tests. These are flight test series 1 through 3. Primary Flight Test Operating Area (Flights to 40,000 ft): The green oval in Figure 8 shows the proposed operating area for our permitted flight tests. It is a volume defined by an ellipse that is 4 nm long by 3 nm wide and extends upward to 50,000 ft. The black diamond is the location of our launch site. The boundary of the operating area is an ellipse defined by the equation: (x/a)2 + (y/b)2 = 1, where b = 1.5 nm (width) and a = 2 nm (length). The boundary of this operating area is defined by the following: • Longitude: 106° 53’ 00” W and 106° 58’ 00” W • Latitude: 32° 54’ 00” N and 32° 57’ 00” N • Maximum height of 50,000 ft - 16 - • Axes of the ellipse: 106° 55’ 30” W longitude and 32° 55’ 30” N latitude Primary Flight Test Operating Area (Flights to 328,000 ft): The red solid-lined oval in Figure 8 shows the operating area for our permitted flight tests. It is a volume defined by an ellipse that is 20 nm long by 13 nm wide and extends upward to 350,000 ft. The black diamond is the location of our launch site. The boundary of the operating area is an ellipse defined by the equation: (x/a)2 + (y/b)2 = 1, where b = 6.5 nm (width) and a = 10 nm (length). The boundary of this operating area is defined by the following: • Longitude: 106° 38’ 00” W and 107° 02’ 00” W • Latitude: 32° 48’ 30” N and 33° 01’00” N • Maximum height of 350,000 ft • Axes of the ellipse: 106° 50’ 00” W longitude and 32° 55’ 30” N latitude 3. Operational Safety Documentation 3.1 Pre-Flight and Post-Flight Operations [§437.27 & §437.53(a-b)] On the day of flight, the VS-1 vehicle will be transported to the launch site from a vehicle processing facility using a flatbed truck. Only launch processing crews and the flight crew will be allowed at the launch site while performing operations under the experimental permit. The justification and method used to determine our safety clear zone is described below. A 1,250-feet radius circle defines our “safety clear zone.” This is our acceptable minimum safe distance during pre-flight and post-flight operations. Greater distances will be used whenever practicable to maximize public safety and minimize potential damage to nearby facilities and equipment. In addition, at T-30 minutes and T-5 minutes prior to each flight test, BlueSky will conduct helicopter surveillance of the operating area to clear the operating area of all uninvolved personnel. If anyone is detected in the operating area, the countdown to launch will be stopped (i.e., “No-Go” status). Our safety official will be dispatched to confirm that the operating area is cleared of all personnel. The flight vehicle is initially loaded with RP-1 and GN2. When oxidizer is added, the status of the area around the vehicle changes to Hazard Class 1, Division 1.1 (HC/D 1.1). It is important to minimize the timeline of a vehicle when it is in this state and to minimize the number of people who are exposed to it. Explosive siting for Hazard Class 1 is based on the quantity of explosive material and separation distance relationships (QD) that provide defined types of protection. Explosive siting criteria for the BlueSky vehicle were selected to satisfy, as a minimum, the requirements found in Appendix D of 14 CFR Part 420.63 and DOD 6055.9, “DOD Ammunition And Explosives Safety Standards.” Additional guidance is taken from Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Commercial Space Transportation; “Waiver of Liquid Propellant Storage and Handling Requirements for Operation of a Launch Site at the Mojave Airport in CA” (Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 130 / Thursday, July 8, 2004 / Notices). - 17 - The vehicle is subject to appropriate QD criteria based on type and weight of the fuel and oxidizer on board. For the purpose of explosive siting, the total weight of the flight vehicle fuel and oxidizer plus the weight of the oxidizer in the servicing tanker are considered in establishing the appropriate QD area for the loading area. In accordance with DOD 6055.9-STD, Rev 5, Tables C9-T18 and C9-T1, the vehicle loading area will be located a minimum of 1,250 feet from any inhabited building. Post-flight operations begin upon landing. Any oxidizer remaining in the vehicle is removed through the oxidizer dump port, at which point the vehicle’s status is downgraded to “nonexplosive.” Any remaining fuel is then removed through the fuel dump port. The vehicle is then rotated onto our flatbed truck to a horizontal orientation and transported to a vehicle processing facility to prepare for the next flight. 3.2 Hazard Analysis [§437.29 & §437.55(a)] BlueSky’s hazard analysis process consists of four parts: 1) Identifying and describing the hazards, 2) Determining and assessing the risk for each hazard, 3) Identifying and describing risk elimination and mitigation measures, and 4) Validating and verifying risk elimination and mitigation measures. Our assessment of the risks is a qualitative process. Risk accounts for both the likelihood of occurrence of a hazard and the severity of that hazard. The levels for the likelihood of occurrence of a hazard, presented in Table 3, and the categories for the severity of a hazard, presented in Table 2, were used in combination with the four-step hazard analysis process to develop our list of hazards. The severity and likelihood are combined and compared to criteria in a risk acceptability matrix, as shown in Table 4. BlueSky used the following FAA/AST guidance document to perform its hazard analysis: AC 437.55-1, Hazard Analysis for the Launch or Reentry of a Reusable Suborbital Rocket Under an Experimental Permit. As our flight test program progresses, there will be anomalies that will be credited to component, subsystem, or system failures or faults; software errors; environmental conditions; human errors; design inadequacies; and/or procedural deficiencies. As these anomalies occur during our program, a risk elimination/mitigation plan will be developed. In addition, BlueSky will provide verification evidence (i.e., test data, demonstration data, inspection results, and analyses) in support of our risk elimination/mitigation measures. Our hazard analysis will be continually updated as our test program progresses. See Appendix D for a list of the identified hazards. Appendix E provides a description of our verification schedule. - 18 - Table 2 Severity of Hazard Description Category Consequence Definition Catastrophic I Death or serious injury to the public or safetycritical system loss. Critical II Major property damage to the public, major safetycritical system damage or reduced capability, decreased safety margins, or increased workloads. Marginal III Minor injury to the public or minor safety-critical damage. Negligible IV Not serious enough to cause injury to the public or safety-critical system damage. Table 3 Likelihood of Occurrence of Hazard Description Level Individual Item Frequent A Likely to occur often in the life of an item, with a probability of occurrence greater than 10-2 in any one mission. Probable B Will occur several times in the life of an item, with a probability of occurrence less than 10-2 but greater than 10-3 in any one mission. Occasional C Likely to occur sometime in the life of an item, with a probability of occurrence less than 10-3 but greater than 10-5 in any one mission. Remote D Unlikely but possible to occur in the life of an item, with a probability of occurrence less than 10-5 but greater than 10-6 in any one mission. Extremely Remote E So unlikely, it can be assumed occurrence may not be experienced, with a probability of occurrence less than 10-6 in any one mission. - 19 - Table 4 Risk Acceptability Matrix Severity Catastrophic I Critical II Marginal III Negligible IV Frequent (A) 1 3 7 13 Probable (B) 2 5 9 16 Occasional (C) 4 6 11 18 Remote (D) 8 10 14 19 Extremely Remote (E) 12 15 17 20 Likelihood Category 1 – High (1-6, 8). Elimination or mitigation actions must be taken to reduce the risk. Category 2 – Low (7, 9-20). Risk is acceptable 3.3 Operating Area Containment 3.3.1 Methods of Containment [§437.31 & §437.57(a)] There are three methods of containing our vehicle’s instantaneous impact point within the operating area. The first is the use of a Monte Carlo analysis to define a large enough operating area to contain all dispersions resulting from the vehicle pitching or yawing less than or equal to ±5 deg/sec. As described in Appendix A, a Monte Carlo trajectory analysis was performed to determine possible impact locations. An operating area was then specified that would encompass all of these impact locations. The second method for containing the vehicle’s instantaneous impact point within the operating area focuses on mitigating the malfunctions, as identified in the Hazard Analysis section, which could cause the vehicle to pitch or yaw at greater than ±5 deg/sec. The third method for containing the vehicle’s instantaneous impact point within the operating area is the pilot’s ability to detect an anomaly and shutdown the rocket engine firing within 5 seconds. This is accomplished by releasing the engine on/off Fail-Safe Switch on the center control stick, as described in the Flight Control System Overview section, and as dictated by our flight rules (see Flight Rules). Since the LCD monitor displays flight parameters such as altitude, position, velocity, orientation, and projected IIP as described in the Avionics and Guidance System Overview section, the pilot will immediately be aware of any variations in the flight path and can end the rocket engine firing at any time. 3.3.2 Population [§437.31(a) & §437.57(b)] In addition to the airspace and the geographic location, the population of the region was also a factor in developing our test program. The population density (Figure 9) model covering the Spaceport region is based on the Global Population Database. The operating areas for our test program are located in areas with population densities less than 10 people per square km, the closest high population centers being SpaceCity, 30 miles to the west, and C-City, 45 miles to the south. Areas designated by the population database as being unpopulated will serve as the - 20 - locations of the key flight-safety events. The landing and impact locations will be visually surveyed before launch. The source of the population data is the Global Population Database from Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The Global Population Database is a worldwide population database with a 0.5-minute by 0.5-minute resolution. Population counts are apportioned to grid cells based on likelihood coefficients, which in turn are based on proximity to roads, land cover, nighttime lights, and other information. Pop density > 1 /km2 Pop density > 2/km2 Pop density > 4/km2 Pop density > 5/km2 Pop density > 6/km2 Pop density > 10/km2 Pop density > 50/km2 Pop density > 100/km2 Military Rocket Range B-City SpaceCity E-City C-City National Forest National Forest D-City F-City Figure 9: Population Density for New Frontier Spaceport and Operating Areas 3.3.3 Significant Traffic [§437.31(a) & §437.57(b)] The primary operating area does not contain significant automobile traffic, railway traffic, waterborne vessel traffic, or large concentrations of the public. - 21 - 3.4 Key Flight-Safety Event Limitations 3.4.1 Key Flight-Safety Events [§437.31(b) & §437.59(a)] As described in the Flight Test Plan Description section of this document, and as summarized in Table 1, our flight test plan involves an incremental testing program. For the vertical launch tests originating at the New Frontier Spaceport, the key flight-safety events are the: - Main rocket engine ignition, Parachute deployment, RCS attitude control ignition sequence, Powered landing, and Envelope expansion flight(s) from 40,000 ft to 328,000 ft. These events will be conducted over unpopulated areas. Table 5 provides the geographical coordinates of the instantaneous impact points for these events. Figures 10 and 11 show the locations of the impact points’ expected dispersions, which are over unpopulated areas within our operating area. These areas will be surveyed visually prior to launch to verify that they are unpopulated. BlueSky’s method for conducting key flight-safety events over unpopulated or sparsely populated areas is to have the pilot verify that the vehicle’s IIP is over unpopulated or sparsely populated areas prior to initiating any of these events. The LCD within our vehicle monitors flight parameters such as altitude, position, velocity, orientation, and projected IIP (as described in the Avionics and Guidance System Overview section). The pilot will be aware of any variations in the flight path and will only initiate a key flight-safety event if the vehicle’s IIP is over an unpopulated or sparsely populated area (see Flight Rules). The verification evidence for the methods and systems used to conduct key flight-safety events over unpopulated or sparely populated areas is detailed in the Hazard Analysis section. Table 5 Location of Key Flight-Safety Events IIPs (Primary Flight Test Operating Areas) Event Flight to 40,000 ft Flight to 328,000 ft Latitude Longitude Latitude Longitude Ignition 32° 55’ 30” N 106° 57’ 00” W 32° 55’ 30” N 106° 57’ 00” W Parachute Deploy 32° 55’ 30” N 106° 55’ 00” W 32° 55’ 30” N 106° 43’ 00” W RCS Attitude Control Ignition & Powered Landing 32° 55’ 30” N 106° 54’ 10” W 32° 55’ 30” N 106° 42’ 18” W - 22 - 3.4.2 Reentry Impact Point [§437.31(b) & §437.59(b)] Both reentry impact points for our 40,000 ft and 328,000 ft flights are located in unpopulated areas. As such they do not loiter over populated areas. Figures 10 and 11 show the locations of the reentry impact points’ expected dispersions. The geographical coordinates for the reentry impact points are the following: • 40,000 ft - Latitude: 32° 55’ 30” N - Longitude: 106° 55’ 30” W • 328,000 ft - Latitude: 32° 55’ 30” N - Longitude: 106° 43’ 30” W Parachute Deploy Dispersion Ignition Dispersion RCS Attitude Control Ignition & Powered Landing Dispersion Reentry Impact Point Dispersion Figure 10: Three-Sigma Dispersion Ellipses for Flights to 40,000 ft - 23 - Parachute Deploy Dispersion Ignition Dispersion RCS Attitude Control Ignition & Powered Landing Dispersion Reentry Impact Point Dispersion Population Figure 11: Three-Sigma Dispersion Ellipses for Flights to 328,000 ft - 24 - 3.5 Landing and Impact Locations [§437.33 & §437.61] The landing and impact areas for the vehicle are within the boundary of our operating areas (see Figures 10 &11). The landing areas encompassed by the operating areas are of sufficient size to contain an uncontrolled impact, including debris dispersion upon impact (see Appendix A: Details and Assumptions of the Monte Carlo Analysis). Based on the requirements found in Appendix D of 14 CFR Part 420.63 and DOD 6055.9, “DOD Ammunition And Explosives Safety Standards,” the maximum blast radius for an impact of the vehicle (assuming fully loaded) is 1,250 ft radius. This defines the safety clear zone around our vehicle at landing (See Flight Rules). 3.6 Agreements [§437.35 & §437.63] BlueSky Aerospace has an agreement with New Frontier Spaceport to have full access and use of their property and services required to support our permitted flight(s). We also have an agreement with Military Rocket Range to operate within its boundaries during the landing phase of our flights. New Frontier Spaceport has an agreement with FAA Air Traffic Control as part of it launch site operator license. This agreement governs the use of the airspace within the operating area. The agreement documents procedures to be used by New Frontier Spaceport, BlueSky Aerospace, and the FAA in implementing NOTAMS, air route closings, flight operations, and notifications. Copies of all agreements are included with this application. An agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard is not necessary, since the flights will not involve overflight of water. 3.7 Collision Avoidance Analysis [§437.65] N/A. A collision avoidance analysis is not required from United States Strategic Command or Federal launch range since our maximum altitude of 100 km is lower than the FAA threshold of 150 km. 3.8 Tracking a Reusable Suborbital Rocket [§437.37 & §437.67] BlueSky Aerospace will operate the vehicle in coordination with the FAA/ATC. As stated in the Avionics and Guidance System Overview section, the pilot can track important flight parameters such as altitude, position, velocity, vehicle orientation, and projected instantaneous impact point (IIP). In addition, the vehicle’s communications system consists of two communications transceiver radios for two-way communication between the pilot and our Ground Command Station. The Ground Command Station will maintain two-way communication with Air Traffic Control from launch to landing. Also, as stated in Avionics and Guidance Overview section, the vehicle’s central processor contains a data storage unit that stores all of the vehicle parameters such as position, velocity, attitude, accelerations, etc., for each flight. These data will be used to conduct the post-flight analysis, as well as support any anomaly or emergency investigations. - 25 - 3.9 Flight Rules 3.9.1 Pre-Flight Checklist [§437.39 & §437.71(a)] Before initiating rocket-powered flight, BlueSky Aerospace will confirm that all systems and parameters are within acceptable limits (Appendix B: BlueSky Checklist and Flight Rules). 3.9.2 All Phases of Flight [§437.39 & §437.71(b)] During all phases of flight, BlueSky Aerospace will adhere to its flight rules. If at any time the vehicle is in a state that could endanger the uninvolved public, the flight will be aborted. If this occurs during the main rocket engine burn, the pilot will immediately end the rocket engine burn and prepare the vehicle for an emergency parachute landing (Appendix B: BlueSky Checklist and Flight Rules). 3.10 Mishap Response [§437.41 & §437.75(b)] BlueSky Aerospace will designate a point-of-contact and alternate for all activities associated with accidents, incidents, or other mishaps related to operations on or off the Spaceport. The designated point-of-contact and/or alternate will: • Represent the vehicle operator as a member of the Emergency Response Team (ERT) and support the Spaceport Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC) by participating in the activities of the ERT during accidents, incidents, or mishaps. • Ensure that the consequences of a mishap are contained and minimized. • Assure that all data and physical evidence related to any accident, incident, or mishap is impounded to preclude loss of information essential to subsequent investigations. • Identify and adopt preventive measures for avoiding recurrence of the event. • Through the Spaceport ERC, report to and cooperate with FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations and act as the vehicle operator pointof-contact for the FAA and NTSB. The company’s detailed procedures for responding to a mishap are found in the following document: Mishap Response Plan. See Appendix C. 4. Environmental Impacts Analysis Information [§437.21(b)(1)] BlueSky will provide the FAA with the information needed to analyze the environmental impacts associated with our proposed reusable suborbital rocket launches. This will enable the FAA to comply with the requirements of the National Environment Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (NEPA), and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR parts 1500–1508. Environmental data is included with this application. See Appendix C. - 26 - 5. Compliance with Additional Requirements Information Requirements for Operations with Flight Crew and Space Flight Participants [§437.21(b)(3), Part 460] 5.1 BlueSky Aerospace provided the following documents demonstrating compliance with the requirements outlined in Part 460—Human Space flight Requirements. Specifically, we will comply with Subpart A—Launch and Reentry With Crew since our permitted test flights are R&D in nature and include only a pilot as flight crew. 5.1.1 Crew Qualifications and Training [§437.21(b)(3), §460.5 & §460.7] • Documentation verifying the pilot’s FAA 2nd-class medical certificate issued within the past 12 months prior to launch. See Appendix C. • Documentation verifying the FAA pilot certificate with an instrument rating demonstrating the pilot’s knowledge of the NAS. See Appendix C. • Training program documentation (Appendix C) includes: A description of the training program including how the pilot will be trained in every phase of the flight. o A description of the simulator training for each pilot to familiarize the pilot with systems and procedures for nominal and non-nominal conditions including emergency operations and abort scenarios. o A description of our high-g training program for each crewmember. Our training program includes training of the pilot in an aerobatic airplane to simulate the anticipated g-stresses and flight environment. BlueSky R&D program also includes drop tests of a flight vehicle from a helicopter. Such tests are designed to train the pilot on implementing our attitude recovery procedures, as well as provide each pilot with additional aeronautical experience. o How each pilot will be trained, in accordance with the flight rules listed in the Flight Rules section of our document, to operate the vehicle so that it will not harm the public. o Before each flight, the pilot will receive a pre-flight briefing on normal and abort procedures. The training program and records will be continuously updated and documented to include lessons learned. See Appendix C. o • • 5.1.2 • The training completed by each pilot will be documented and maintained for each active pilot, and all pilot qualifications will be current before a pilot undertakes flight responsibilities. See Appendix C. Environmental Control and Life Support Systems [§437.21(b)(3), §460.11] BlueSky Aerospace will control and monitor atmospheric conditions to sustain life and consciousness within the crew cabin of the vehicle. The capability to perform this function was described in the Environmental Control System Overview section and the Hazard Analysis section, and will provide for: - 27 - Monitoring and controlling the composition, which includes oxygen and carbon dioxide, and revitalization of the atmosphere to maintain safe levels for normal respiration; o Monitoring and controlling the pressure of the atmosphere to maintain safe levels for flight crew respiration; o Controlling contamination and particulate concentrations to prevent interference with the pilot’s ability to operate the vehicle; o Monitoring and controlling the temperature of the atmosphere to maintain safe levels; o Monitoring and controlling the humidity of the cabin atmosphere to maintain safe levels; o Monitoring and controlling the ventilation and circulation of the cabin atmosphere to maintain safe levels; o Adequate redundant or back-up oxygen supply. BlueSky Aerospace has designed the crew cabin environment to mitigate the effects of vehicle decompression, as described in the Environmental Control System Overview section. o • 5.1.3 Smoke Detection and Fire Suppression [§437.21(b)(3), §460.13] If the pilot detects smoke or a fire in the crew cabin, a CO2-based fire extinguisher mounted near the pilot can be used to suppress the fire. Once the extinguisher is used, the pilot must immediately abort the mis

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