Reusability of Rocket Regulations

Not just anyone can build and launch a rocket whenever and where ever they want.
To be able to utilize a reusable launch vehicle (RLV) or rocket in space, you will need to attain a license first by passing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval. In the Office of Commercial Space Transportation Regulations, the FAA outlines the safety tests and inspection needed to be able to legally use an RLV in section 431 "Launch and Reentry of a Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV)." The FAA needs to know the flight path, location, and dates of launch of the RLV to be able to determine the safety of the flight. Also the FAA would need to be informed of the cargo/payload on the vehicle as well as any emergency procedures.
Here is the link to the SpaceX permits and approval to use their Falcon 9 and Falcon heavy rockets
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/environmental/nepa_docs/review/documents_progress/spacex_texas_launch_site_environmental_impact_statement/media/spacex_eis_rod.pdf
It illustrates the need to go through the government, the amount of safety measures needed to protect the company, the government and everyone in the world in general.

This is the FAA description of the launch site of SpaceX Falcon rockets and their permissible flight zones and the effects it will have on the surrounding environment. The FAA works with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others to determine if the RLV would be fit to be launched and not detrimentally affect the Earth.
In all, the FAA regulates every space agency to make sure that they follow environmental regulations and stay within their allowed locations.



http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=e11cee34fe5087a8cba8d252ec7327b3&rgn=div5&view=text&node=14:4.0.2.9.14&idno=14

The Next Step

The public sector of space flight is the government funded National Air and Space Administration (NASA) that is currently working on developing a new wave of spacecrafts and rocket technology. In the peer-review article To Low Earth Orbit and Beyond by Mckee describes the future of space travel after the NASA space shuttles retired in 2011 without having to rely on Russia to ship cargo and transport astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The future depends on the new space craft Orion that would be able to carry astronauts to lunar orbit much like Apollo craft except this would be more spacious and able to keep four astronauts on board for 21 days. Here is a diagram breaking apart the Orion spacecraft found on the NASA website.

Orion is designed to be paired with additional modules that would be created one day to bring future explorers to Mars and beyond. The major problem with sending Orion to the Moon and further is the return velocity once hitting the Earth's atmosphere is greater than any other manned spacecraft had to endure. Testing will be conducted to make sure the newly developed 5 centimeter thick poxy heat shield would be able to withstand the highest temperature upwards of 2200 degrees Celsius and also to launch the parachutes that would slow Orion down to splash gently onto the water. Hopefully soon it will be able to take astronauts and scientists to the stars and back.








Mckee, M. (January 2014). To Low Earth Orbit and Beyond. Spectrum IEE. 51, 58-59.  http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.mutex.gmu.edu/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6701435&tag=1