NTSB · Safety Recommendation
Safety Recommendation A-93-088
Recommendation
THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: REQUIRE THAT, AS A CONDITION FOR LICENSE FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCHES, AS A MINIMUM, THE COMPANY APPLYING FOR THE LICENSE INCLUDE IN ITS LICENSE APPLICATION: SPECIFIC DETAILS AND CRITERIA FOR LAUNCH READINESS REVIEWS AND LAUNCH DRESS REHEARSALS.
Safety Issue and Context
ON FEBRUARY 9, 1993, ABOUT 0930 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, THE LAUNCH SEQUENCE FOR AN ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION (OSC) PEGASUS EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE (ELV) WAS ABORTED BY THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) RANGE SAFETY OFFICERS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH A PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED LAUNCH CONSTRAINT. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER, THE LAUNCH SEQUENCE WAS REINITIATED BY THE OSC TEST CONDUCTOR, AND THE MISSILE SEPARATED UNEVENTFULLY FROM ITS CARRIER AIRCRAFT. THE IGNITION AND STAGING OF THE PEGASUS AND ITS SUBSEQUENT DEPLOYMENT OF TWO SATELLITES INTO LOW EARTH ORBIT WERE ALSO UNEVENTFUL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE MISSION AND NO DAMAGE TO MISSION ASSETS.
Response History
August 26, 1999 · NTSB Correspondence · DOT
THE SAFETY BOARD NOTES THAT THE FAA'S FINAL RULE MEETS THE INTENT OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS. THEREFORE, A-93-87, -88, -89, -91 AND -92 ARE CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."
May 25, 1999 · Recipient Response · DOT
THE FAA RESPONSE LETTER DOES NOT ADDRESS THIS RECOMMENDATION, RATHER THEY INCLUDED FEDERAL REGISTER FINAL RULE (14 CFR PARTS 401 ET AL. FINAL RULE) PART 415 (LAUNCH LICENSE) SUBPART C SAFETY REVIEW,,,,SECTION 37 (A) (1) STATES: THE PROCEDURES SHALL ENSURE A LAUNCH READINESS REVIEW IS CONDUCTED DURING WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL DESIGNATED UNDER PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SECTION IS PROVIDED WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO MAKE A JUDGEMENT OF FLIGHT READINESS,,,,OF DRESS REHEARSALS AND SIMULATIONS CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH (A) (4) (III) VERIFY CURRENCY AND CONSISTENCY OF LICENSEE AND FEDERAL LAUNCH RANGE COUNTDOWN AND CHECKLISTS.
September 4, 1997 · Recipient Response · DOT
It was previously reported to the Board that changes were incorporated into the launch applications guidelines. The FAA has now published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register proposing to clarify license application procedures and requirements for conducting space launches. This NPRM addresses the requirements for launch operations at federally operated launch ranges. I have enclosed a copy of the NPRM for the Board's information. Additionally, the FAA is initiating a separate rulemaking action proposing similar requirements to address launches from non-Federal sites.
I will provide the Board with a copy of the final regulatory document as soon as it is issued.
April 22, 1994 · NTSB Correspondence · DOT
THE BOARD NOTES THAT THE OCST, AS A PART OF ITS LICENSING PROCESS, REQUIRES APPLICANTS TO SUBMIT A DESCRIPTION OF THEIR SAFETY ORGANIZATION & PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS. THE OCST IS ALSO STUDYING THE NEED TO EXPLICITY REQUIRE THAT APPLICANTS PROVIDE CLEARLY DELIENATED STATEMENTS OF AUTHORITY FOR ALL PARTIES & KEY INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE LAUNCH. THE BOARD NOTES THAT THE OCST REQUIRES, THROUGH THE LICENSING PROCESS, ALL APPLICANTS TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR CAPABILITY TO CONDUCT SAFE LAUNCH OPERATIONS.
DUE TO THE APPARENT DEFICIENCIES IN PRELAUNCH OPERATIONS FOR THE PEGASUS/SCD-1 LAUNCH, THE OCST IS EVALUATING WHETHER TO REQUIRE THAT LAUNCH LICENSE APPLICANTS PROVIDE MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS & CRITERIA FOR LAUNCH READINESS REVIEWS & DRESS REHEARSALS, & THAT THOSE CRITERIA BE INCORPORATED AS CONDITIONS OF LICENSING. THE BOARD NOTES THAT ALTHOUGH THE OCST'S LICENSING PROCESS INCLUDES A REVIEW OF CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING READINESS TO LAUNCH, THE OCST IS STUDYING THE NEED TO REQUIRE THAT APPLICANTS EXPLICITLY DESCRIBE THEIR PROCESS FOR APPROVING CHECKLISTS FOR A LAUNCH, & TO INCLUDE A PROVISION FOR ENSURING THE CURRENCY & CONSISTENCY OF EACH PARTICIPANT'S CHECKLIST DURING DRESS REHEARSALS.
THE BOARD NOTES THAT THE OCST IS STUDYING THE NEED TO EXPLICITLY REQUIRE, AS A CONDITION FOR A LICENSE, THE MANDATORY REST PERIODS DESCRIBED ABOVE. ADDITIONALLY, IF THE OCST DETERMINES THAT SUCH A CONDITION IS NECESSARY, IT WILL USE HUMAN PERFORMANCE EXPERTS TO DEVELOP QUANTITATIVE CRITERIA FOR SUCH REST PERIODS TO ENSURE APPLICABILITY TO THE ASSIGNED TASKS. THE BOARD NOTES THAT THE OCST IS STUDYING THOSE LAUNCH SCENARIOS & TECHNOLOGIES WHERE IT WOULD BE APPRORPIRATE TO REQUIRE FROM APPLICANTS, AS A CONDITION FOR A LICENSE, A COMMUNICATION PLAN INCLUDING THE TWO PROVISIONS IDENTIFIED IN A-93-091.
THE BOARD NOTES THE AT THE OCST IS INCORPORATING INTO ITS LICENSING REVIEW PROCESS THE REQUIREMENT FOR SAFETY DIRECTIVE HAVING STRICT CONFIGURATION CONTROL REQUIREMENTS THAT CLEARLY LISTS AND CONSOLIDATES ALL OPERATIONS INVOLVING THE SAFETY OF THE LAUNCH. THE BOARD NOTES THE OCST IS RESEARCHING THE COMMUNICATION ISSUE IN GENERAL & IS ALSO ASSESSING OPERATIONAL ISSUES IN THE CONTEXT OF AN ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION PROPOSAL TO LAUNCH THE PEGASUS FROM COMMERICAL L-1011 AIRCRAFT.
THE BOARD APPRECIATES YOUR RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS A-93-87 THROUGH -93 & HAS PLACED THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN AN "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONE" STATUS PENDING COMPLETION OF THE ACTIONS INITIATED BY THE OCST AS DESCRIBED IN YOUR JANUARY 11, 1994, LETTER.
January 11, 1994 · Recipient Response · DOT
OCST AGREES THAT LAUNCH READINESS REVIEWS ARE SIGNIFICANT TO ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE CONDUCT OF A COMMERICAL SPACE LAUNCH. FOR THIS REASON, LAUNCH READINESS REVIEWS ARE PART OF THE STANDARD PRE-LAUNCH PRACTICE OF THE U.S. COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH INDUSTRY. MOREOVER, LAUNCH DRESS REHEARSALS PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO REAFIRM RANGE SAETY AND LAUNCH PROCEDURES AS WELL AS READINESS OF ALL LAUNCH PARTICIPANTS. DRESS REHEARSALS MAY BE OF ADDITIONAL VALUE IN SUPPORTING THE LAUNCH OPERATIONS OF NEW VEHICLES OR LAUNCH TECHNOLOGIES. THROUGH THE LICENSING PROCESS, APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR CAPABILITY TO CONDUCT SAFETY LAUNCH OPERATIONS.
IN LIGHT OF THE APPARENT DEFICIENCIES IN PRE-LAUNCH OPERATIONS FOR THE PEGASUS/SCD-1 LAUNCH NOTED IN THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION BOARD FINDINGS, OCST IS EVALUTING WHETHER TO REQUIRE THAT A LAUNCH LICENSE APPLICANT PROVIDE MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS & CRITERIA FOR LAUNCH READINESS REVIEWS & DRESS REHEARSALS & INCORPORATE THEM AS CONDITIONS OF A LICENSE.