AoC number

223

Primary domain

SPACE

Secondary domain

OP

Description

Establishment of commercial spaceports in areas such as New Mexico is underway. Rapid, routine clearances for penetration of flight levels (typically utilized by commercial aircraft) may be required by expendable launch vehicles, re-usable launch vehicles, and commercial space operations.

The number of spaceports to accommodate the emerging sub-orbital industry is proliferating around the world. In the USA, (e.g.: New Mexico, Mojave – California, etc), in Europe (Sweden, Spain, UK, Netherlands/Curacao, etc), in Australia, in Asia (i.e.: Singapore), in Middle East (i.e.: Abu Dhabi). In the majority of the cases, the operations of these vehicles will be similar to conventional aircraft with horizontal landings and take-offs, however, other configurations exits.

Potential hazard

  1. Re-entry trajectories that have not been predicted accurately in emergency situations. These procedures will need to be coordinated with destination and alternate airports
  2. Inadvertent penetration of restricted airspace in both normal and abnormal situations.
  3. Inadequate airspace buffers during transition from an exploratory development phase with paying, risk-accepting passengers to a phase where certification requirements reach air transport levels
  4. Increased incidents of loss of separation between space and air traffic in non-segregated operations (currently, the target for designers and operators).

Corroborating sources and comments

http://www.spaceportamerica.com/
The next chapter in space transportation is being written right now in the State of New Mexico. Forward-thinking pioneers are developing both vertical and horizontal launch vehicles using the power of free-market enterprise.

As the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport, Spaceport America is designed with the needs of the commercial space business in mind. Unique geographic benefits, striking iconic design, and the tradition of New Mexico space leadership are coming together to create a new way to travel into space.

http://www.spacesafetymagazine.com/2011/10/02/aircraft-are-vulnerable-to-small-space-debris/

http://www.hobbyspace.com/SpacePorts/spaceports3.html

http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/spinoff1998/ttc1.htm

Last update

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