Ground safety.

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§ 415.117 Ground safety.

(a) General. An applicant's safety review document must include a ground safety analysis report, and a ground safety plan for its launch processing and post-flight operations as required by this section, § 417.109 of this chapter, and subpart E of part 417 of this chapter when launching from a launch point in the United States. Launch processing and post-launch operations at a launch point outside the United States may be subject to the requirements of the governing jurisdiction.

(b) Ground safety analysis. A ground safety analysis must review each system and operation used in launch processing and post-flight operations as required by § 417.109 of this chapter, and subpart E of part 417 of this chapter.

(1) An applicant must file an initial ground safety analysis report no later than 12 months for any orbital or guided suborbital launch vehicle, and nine months for an unguided suborbital launch vehicle, before the applicant brings any launch vehicle to the proposed launch site. An initial ground safety analysis report must be in a proposed final or near final form and identify any incomplete items. An applicant must document any incomplete items and track them to completion. An applicant must resolve any FAA comments on the initial report and file a complete ground safety analysis report, no later than two months before the applicant brings any launch vehicle to the proposed launch site. Furthermore, an applicant must keep its ground safety analysis report current. Any late developing change to a ground safety analysis report must be coordinated with the FAA as an application amendment as required by § 413.17 of this chapter as soon as the applicant identifies the need for a change.

(2) An applicant must file a ground safety analysis report that satisfies the ground safety analysis requirements of § 417.109 of this chapter, and subpart E of part 417 of this chapter.

(3) The person designated under § 417.103(b)(1) of this chapter and the person designated under § 417.103(b)(2) of this chapter must approve and sign the ground safety analysis report.

(c) Ground safety plan. An applicant's safety review document must contain a ground safety plan that satisfies § 417.111(c) of this chapter. The applicant must file this plan with the FAA no later than six months prior to bringing the launch vehicle to the proposed launch site. This ground safety plan must describe implementation of the hazard controls identified by an applicant's ground safety analysis and implementation of the ground safety requirements of subpart E of part 417 of this chapter. A ground safety plan must address all public safety related issues and may include other ground safety issues if an applicant intends it to have a broader scope.


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