Commercial Space Transportation Licensing Regulations

Forms and Documents

Document	Type	Status	Availability
Form 2120-0608 | 2120-0 Pre-Application Initial Contact Information	Form	Removed	Repair queued
2025-02978.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2025-02-28	Repair queued
Supporting Statement A for the Commercial Space Transportation Licensing Regulation 2 13 2025.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2025-02-13	Repair queued
2024-13787.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2024-06-27	Repair queued

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
250494	Pre-Application Initial Contact Information	Form	Removed
231588	Commercial Space Transportation Licensing Regulations Renewal Applications	Instruction	Modified
231587	Commercial Space Transportation Licensing Regulations Modification Applications	Instruction	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 2120-0608	ICR Reference No: 202406-2120-013
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202108-2120-009
Agency/Subagency: DOT/FAA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Commercial Space Transportation Licensing Regulations
Type of Information Collection: Extension without change of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 03/14/2025

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	03/31/2025
Responses	12	32
Time Burden (Hours)	10,110	10,250
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	10,622

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Abstract: All entities wishing to obtain a license to conduct commercial space launch activities are mandated to report information to this collection. The information collected is used by AST to determine and verify the ability and competency of a launch license applicant to conduct a commercial space launch operation in a safe and efficient manner. Information is collected before and after the issuance of either a launch-specific license or a launch operator license. An applicant's license proposal is assessed in terms of significant policy issues affecting the national security, foreign policy interests, or international obligations of the United States. Information collected allows AST to make a preliminary assessment of a launch proposal prior to beginning general licensing application procedures. After favorable review by AST of an applicant’s proposal in terms of policy implications, the applicant must demonstrate that it can safely launch its vehicle with payload. To achieve this end, AST’s safety evaluation process requires an applicant to submit information, including a safety program plan, a launch safety design and operations document, and an accident investigation plan. Part 450 is replacing part 417 for license applications. However, part 417 will continue to be used by operators that had a license at the time part 450 was published. Therefore, no new licenses will be approved under part 417 but renewals and modifications are possible until 2025 under part 417. Further, in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policies Act, 42 U.S.C. § 4321, et. seq., (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508, and the DOT's Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts, (that is, DOT Order 5610.1C), applicants are required to submit environmental information to AST. This includes information concerning proposed new launch sites and launch vehicles not currently described in the environmental impact statements, as well as payloads that may have significant environmental impacts in the event of a launch accident. A licensee must satisfy pre-launch reporting requirements by providing launch specific information, including flight path data, payload design criteria, and mission specific launch waivers from federal sites or launch sites, not later than 60 days prior to the scheduled launch date. Each licensee is also required to register the name and mission of the payload with AST in accordance with Article IV of the 1975 Convention on Registration of Objects Launched Into Outer Space Treaty.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 51 USC 509 Name of Law: Commercial Space Launch Activities
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 52532	06/24/2024
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 10779	02/26/2025
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Commercial Space Transportation Licensing Regulations Modification Applications	8800-1	FAA/USSPACECOM Launch Notification
Commercial Space Transportation Licensing Regulations Renewal Applications	8800-1	FAA/USSPACECOM Launch Notification
Pre-Application Initial Contact Information	2120-0608 | 2120-0643 | 2120-0644	Pre-Application Initial Contact Information

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	12	32	0	0	-20	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	10,110	10,250	0	0	-140	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	10,622	0	0	-10,622	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: Part 413 was amended and parts 415 and 417 were replaced by part 450, published October 2020. Parts 415 and 417 are retained until 2025 and allowed to be used by operators with active licenses at the time of part 450 publication. This collection still applies to those operators operating under parts 415 and 417 at the time of part 450 publication that wishing to continue to operate under parts 415 and 417. The burden was adjusted assuming all operators operating under parts 415 and 417 at the time of part 450 publication will continue to operate under parts 415 and 417. The burden was computed using the number of active licenses at the time of part 450 publication. The estimates assumed all operators allowed to operate under parts 415 and 417 continue to do so and renew their licenses until parts 415 and 417 are removed. Part 417 expires March 2026. A new collection for part 450 will be forthcoming in the future. This estimate is conservative because it assumes no operators switch to part 450.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $1,095,402

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 03/14/2025

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