Appendix 6. Commercial Space LOA Sample Templates
[Name(s) of affected Air Traffic Control Facilities (Controlling Facility listed first)], ATO Space Operations, [Operator]
Letter of Agreement
Effective:
Subject: Coordination of [Operator] Launch/Reentry Operations from [name and location of Launch and (if applicable) Reentry site]
1. Purpose:
State the purpose of the Letters of Agreement (LOA), type of operation (launch, launch with reentry), and location of operation (name and location of launch and (if applicable) Reentry site). If LOA is for a one-time operation, state that.
Sample text:
This Letters of Agreement (LOA) provides procedures for the integration and appropriate coordination of [licensed/permitted] [Vehicle Type: horizontal/vertical] [launch/launch with reentry/hover-test] operations into the National Airspace System (NAS) from [name and location of launch and (if applicable) Reentry site].
2. Cancellation:
Include any previous LOA canceled by this one [Subject and Effective Date of LOA being cancelled].
State agreement to review LOA annually.
Sample text:
This LOA will remain in effect until cancelled by any signatory entity and will be reviewed annually throughout the life of the [license/permit] or when modifications are made to the [license/permit].
3. Scope:
List the pertinent ATC facilities, Operator, and any additional stakeholders, including ATO Space Operations, Federal Ranges, and military facilities as applicable. State distribution of the LOA. The distribution should include, at a minimum, all signatories and the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST).
Sample Text:
This LOA is pertinent to [ATC facilities], [additional stakeholders], and [Operator]. It is to be distributed to all signatories and stakeholders].
4. Responsibilities:
State the responsibilities of the Operator, Controlling Facility, and as needed, any other stakeholders and/or affected facilities.
a. Operator must fulfill requirements provided in the Sample Text for this section.
b. Controlling Facility must fulfill requirements provided in the Sample Text for this section and
1. Fill out the Points of Contact Table (Attachment B).
2. Fill out the Actions Timetable (Attachment C)
c. (As needed) Other stakeholders and affected facilities must:
1. Ensure appropriate personnel are aware of the provisions of this agreement.
Sample text for Operator:
a. [Operator] must:
1. Ensure all Operator [and their designees] personnel operating within the scope of this agreement are knowledgeable of, understand, and comply with the provisions of this agreement.
2. Establish, make available, and be prepared to execute approved contingency plan(s).
3. Follow the procedures in Section 5 and the Action Timetable (Attachment C) with regards to communications and notifications.
4. Notify the parties in the Points of Contact Table (Attachment B) immediately if scheduled operations are cancelled.
5. (As needed) Develop separate agreements with foreign Air Navigation Service Providers when airspace coordination outside of the U.S. Flight Information Region is needed for the operation.
Sample text for Controlling Facility:
1. Ensure all personnel responsible for providing air traffic service within the scope of this agreement are knowledgeable of, understand, and comply with the provisions of this agreement. This includes notification to other affected facilities.
3. Communicate with necessary facilities and ascertain their readiness to execute approved contingency plan(s).
4. Except when real time notifications of actual start of activity and end of activity times are provided to the facility via ATO Space Operations coordination, take appropriate actions to restrict airspace use during the effective times of the aircraft hazard area(s).
5. Take additional measures for public safety deemed necessary by 14 CFR Parts 400-460.
Sample text as needed:
c. (As needed) [Other stakeholders and affected facilities] must:
1. Ensure appropriate personnel are aware of the provisions of this agreement.
2. Ensure appropriate personnel are aware of and prepared to execute approved contingency plan(s).
d. Deviations from responsibilities and/or procedures established in this LOA must be coordinated prior to each operation, and responsibilities must be clearly defined in each case.
5. Procedures:
Specify timeline and details for activities to take place prior to, during, and upon completion of operation.
Specify frequency of proposed operations and any limitations when considering dates and times of operations. Include any restrictions on days of week and/or times of day operations that may or may not occur. Restrictions may include times when military operations require use of certain airspace. Specify procedure(s) for handling anomalies and emergencies. Information conveyed should include the location of event (latitude and longitude, represented as degree-minute-second) (when available), vehicle state, projected time the hazard will no longer be present, and any other pertinent details.
Sample text:
a. [Operator] must:
1. Provide a Launch/Reentry Forecast Package to the parties specified in the Points of Contact Table (Attachment B), except Central Altitude Reservation Facility (CARF), at least once every [XX] months. These forecasts will include a best estimate of all anticipated launches for the upcoming [XX] months.
a) The launch/reentry window.
b) The best estimate of the geographic definition of the hazard area(s) (latitude and longitude, represented as degree-minute-second) (when available) for the primary date and any back-up date(s).
c) (As needed) Any support aircraft's type and call sign.
4. Verify the issuance of the appropriate NOTAMs.
a) The [Operator] representative must be able to provide real-time verbal indications of the status of the operation, its progress along the launch/reentry trajectory, and occurrence of significant events.
b) Participation by representative(s) from [other stakeholders and affected facilities] is advised.
8. (As needed) Contact CARF and request that the appropriate ALTRVs be cancelled.
a) The last known state of the vehicle.
b) The location of the off-nominal event (latitude and longitude, represented as degree-minute-second) (when available).
c) The predicted location(s) impacted (latitude and longitude, represented as degree-minute-second) (when available).
d) Projected time the hazard(s) will no longer be present (when known).
e) Other information that will provide estimated positions of hazards.
a) The last known state of the vehicle.
b) The location of the event (latitude and longitude, represented as degree-minute-second) (when available).
c) The predicted location(s) impacted (latitude and longitude, represented as degree-minute-second) (when available).
d) Projected time the hazard(s) will no longer be present (when known).
e) Other information that will provide estimated positions of hazards.
6. Attachments
a. Signatures
b. Points of Contact Table
c. Actions Timetable
d. Only include graphics that are applicable to this scenario:
• Launch/Reentry Site Description/Map
• Aircraft Hazard Area Description/Map
• Temporary Flight Restriction Description/Map
• Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace Description/Map
e. Commercial Launch/Reentry Site LOA
Attachment A: Signatures
Attachment B: Points of Contact Table
|
Office |
Phone # |
|
Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|
|
[Operator] |
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|
[Controlling Facility] Supervisor in Charge |
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|
[Controlling Facility] Traffic Management Unit |
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|
ATO Space Operations |
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|
Central Altitude Reservation Function (CARF) |
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|
National Traffic Management Office (NTMO) |
Attachment C: Actions Timetable
|
Time |
Event |
Remarks |
Date |
|---|---|---|---|
|
T - [XX] months Suggestion: |
Submit Launch/reentry Forecast Package |
Operator should provide best estimate of all known launch/reentry dates for upcoming six months. |
|
|
T - [XX] calendar days Suggestion: |
Coordinate launch/reentry corridor/hazard area(s) |
Operator should coordinate with ATO Space Operations and as appropriate, other affected facilities. |
|
|
T - [XX] calendar days Suggestion: |
Submit Pre-Planning Package |
Operator should provide a description of the Aircraft Hazard Area(s), along with date(s) and time(s) for launch/reentry. |
|
|
T - [XX] calendar days Suggestion: |
File an Altitude Reservation (ALTRV) request with CARF (as needed) |
Operator is responsible for coordinating all necessary ALTRV requests. Requests should be submitted via email to ___________@FAA.gov A copy of the request should also be emailed to [Controlling Facility]. Contact: |
|
|
T - [XX] hours |
Verify issuance of appropriate airspace notices (NOTAMs and TFRs) |
Operator should contact [Controlling Facility] for issuance of TFR(s) and NOTAM(s) (as needed). Per 14 CFR § 91.143, TFRs need to be issued at least ___ hours in advance of the scheduled operation. |
|
|
T - [XX] hours and repeat again at Suggestion: T - 24 hours and 3 hours |
Provide operational status report |
Operator contacts [Controlling Facility] via [telephone/email] and provides operational status report, which includes confirmation of intent and specifics of operation. |
|
|
T - [XX] minutes Suggestion: |
Establish Hotline connection |
[FAA Hotline telephone #] The operation will be delayed or terminated if the Operator does not establish communications via FAA Hotline teleconference. Operator must have a representative on the FAA Hotline teleconference until the operation is complete. |
|
|
T - [XX] minutes Suggestion: T - 30 minutes |
Provide operational status report |
Operator provides operational status report. This report includes confirmation that the operation will take place as scheduled. As necessary, Operator should continue to communicate any significant operational changes. |
|
|
T - [XX] minutes and repeat at T - [XX] minutes Suggestion: T - 10 minutes and T - 5 minutes |
Receive final clearance or confirmation of continued approved mission status |
Operator must receive clearance or confirmation of continued approved mission status from [Controlling Facility] to proceed with operation. |
|
|
During operation |
Maintain real-time communication via FAA Hotline teleconference |
Operator must provide real-time verbal indications on the status of the vehicle. |
|
|
Post-operation or mission cancellation |
Notify ATC and CARF (if applicable) of completion or cancellation of operation |
ATC must be notified when operation is complete. TFR(s), ALTRV(s), and any other necessary notices should be cancelled as soon as practicable. |
|
|
Schedule post-operation debrief |
A debrief should occur ideally within __ hours, but no later than __ hours of the completion of the operation. A debrief should be conducted even if no off-nominal activity occurred. |
Instructions for Letter of Agreement Template: Launch and Reentry Site
Letter of Agreement
Effective:
Subject: Operations at [Name and location of Launch and Reentry Site]
1. Purpose:
State the purpose of the Letters of Agreement (LOA), type(s) of anticipated operation (if launch: [horizontal/vertical]) [launch/reentry], frequency of proposed operation(s) (if known), and name and location of Launch and Reentry Site.
Sample text:
This LOA establishes a framework for the coordination and planning of procedures for [licensed/permitted] (if launch: [horizontal/vertical]) [launch/reentry] operations into the National Airspace System from [name and location of Launch and Reentry Site].
2. Cancellation:
Include any previous LOA canceled by this one [Subject and Effective Date of LOA being cancelled]. State agreement to review LOA annually.
Sample text:
This LOA will remain in effect until cancelled by any signatory entity and will be reviewed annually throughout the life of the license or when modifications are made to the license.
3. Scope:
List the affected ATC facilities; Launch/Reentry Site Operator; and any additional stakeholders, including ATO Space Operations, Federal Ranges, and military facilities, as applicable.
State that this LOA does not guarantee the approval of operations from the Launch and Reentry Site. Once a Vehicle Operator has been identified and its operations approved, responsibilities and procedures will be outlined in a separate letter of agreement with each Vehicle Operator.
State that this LOA does not confer any proprietary, property, or exclusive right in the use of airspace or outer space referenced in Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 420.41.
State distribution of the LOA. The distribution should include, at a minimum, all signatories.
Sample text:
This LOA is pertinent to [ATC facilities and stakeholders; including ATO Space Operations] and [Launch/Reentry Site Operator]. It does not guarantee the approval of operations from the Launch/Reentry Site. Once a Vehicle Operator has been identified and its operations approved, responsibilities and procedures will be outlined in a separate LOA with each Vehicle Operator.
This LOA does not confer any proprietary, property, or exclusive right in the use of airspace or outer space referenced in Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 420.41.
This LOA is to be distributed to the signatories, additional stakeholders, and the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST).
4. Responsibilities:
State the responsibilities of the Site Operator, Controlling Facility, and as needed, any other stakeholders and/or affected facilities. All parties named within this letter of agreement will work collaboratively to develop the following:
a. Procedures for notification and scheduling of operations, to include procedures for the issuance of Notices to Air Missions, Altitude Reservations and Special Activity Airspace access.
b. Plans for communication between the operator and the FAA as necessary, before, during, and after a scheduled operation.
[Name(s) of affected Air Traffic Control Facilities (Controlling Facility listed first)], ATO Space Operations, [Launch and Reentry Site Operator]
c. Plans and procedures for cancellations, contingencies, and emergencies.
d. Plans and procedures for any other measures deemed necessary by the FAA to ensure public health and safety.
Sample text:
a. [Launch/Reentry Site Operator] is responsible for the management, operation, and maintenance of the Launch/Reentry Site. This includes the coordination with users of its facility and the responsibility for ensuring all necessary information regarding operations is provided to the appropriate ATC facilities.
b. The FAA is responsible for the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of known air traffic under its control. It is also responsible for the dissemination of pertinent information to the aviation community.
c. All parties named in this LOA will work collaboratively to develop procedures and other such measures deemed necessary to protect public health and safety.
5. Attachments
State the responsibilities of the Site Operator, Controlling Facility, and as needed, any other stakeholders and/or affected facilities. All parties named within this letter of agreement will work collaboratively to develop the following:
A. Signatures
B. Points of Contact Table
C. Graphics/Maps
• Physical Site Description/Map
• Airspace Description/Map(s)
[Name(s) of affected Air Traffic Control Facilities (Controlling Facility listed first)], ATO Space Operations, [Launch and Reentry Site Operator]
Attachment A: Signatures
[Name(s) of affected Air Traffic Control Facilities (Controlling Facility listed first)], ATO Space Operations, [Launch and Reentry Site Operator]
Attachment B: Points of Contact Table
|
Office |
Phone # |
|
Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|
|
[Controlling Facility] Airspace and Procedures Office |
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|
[Controlling Facility] Traffic Management Unit |
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|
ATO Space Operations |
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|
[Launch and Reentry Site Operator] |