Debra J.

Rahn
Headquarters, Washington, DC September 11, 1997
(Phone: 202/358-1639)

RELEASE: 97-194

NASA, DOD AND FAA SIGN JOINT AGREEMENT

ON SPACEPORTS LAUNCH GUIDANCE

The NASA Administrator, the Under Secretary of Defense for

Acquisition and Technology (DOD) and the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) Administrator have signed a joint Memorandum
of Agreement (MOA) that provides guidance for federal interaction
with commercial launch site operators on spaceports.

This joint agreement brings to fruition many months of

concerted effort by the members of the Interagency Working Group
on Spaceports, which was initiated at the request of the White
House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

A "spaceport" will be similar to an airport for rockets and

will be managed by a launch site operator. Operation of a launch
site consists of operations and maintenance of launch property,
which must include at least one launch pad. These operators may
be state government agencies, state-chartered or-sponsored
entities, or commercial organizations.

The primary objective of the MOA is to facilitate and

encourage access by the private sector and state and local
governments to excess federal launch property and services.

The MOA explains the respective roles and responsibilities of

federal agencies in general, and specifically NASA, DOD and FAA,
in their interactions with launch site operators. The intent is
to minimize the regulatory burden on the U.S. commercial space
sector by clearly delineating federal agency requirements and
oversight responsibilities, eliminating overlap and duplication.

The guidance applies to current and prospective FAA-licensed

launch site operators on, or outside, federal installations. It
does not apply to operation of a launch site performed as part of
a federal space activity carried out by, or for, the federal
government.

The basis of a federal license is the obligation to protect

public health and safety. Federal guidance is provided in several
areas:

-Environmental and safety compliance

-Licensing of launch site operators
-Financial responsibility and allocation of risk
requirements applicable to activities conducted on a
federal installation
-Federal agency pricing for launch property and
services
-Foreign involvement in operation of a launch site
-State government-related launch site operators, and
-Real property.

NASA, DOD, and FAA plan to use this agreement as a basis for
writing implementing procedures to carry out their respective
responsibilities in interacting with launch site operators.

-end-