14 CFR Part 450
69 sections · 1 appendices · 4 subparts · Amended 2026-09-15
LAUNCH AND REENTRY LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
Authority51 U.S.C. 50901-50923.
SourceDocket No. FAA-2019-0229, Amdt. 450-2, 85 FR 79719, Dec. 10, 202085 FR 79739, Dec. 10, 2020, unless otherwise noted.
Subpart A— General Information 7 sections
- § 450.1 Applicability.
- § 450.3 Scope of a vehicle operator license.
- § 450.5 Issuance of a vehicle operator license.
- § 450.7 Duration of a vehicle operator license.
- § 450.9 Additional license terms and conditions.
- § 450.11 Transfer of a vehicle operator license.
- § 450.13 Rights not conferred by a vehicle operator license.
Subpart B— Requirements to Obtain a Vehicle Operator License 9 sections
- § 450.31 General.
- § 450.33 Incremental review and determinations.
- § 450.35 Means of compliance.
- § 450.37 Equivalent level of safety.
- § 450.39 Use of safety element approval.
- § 450.41 Policy review and approval.
- § 450.43 Payload review and determination.
- § 450.45 Safety review and approval.
- § 450.47 Environmental review.
Subpart C— Safety Requirements 43 sections
- § 450.101 Safety criteria.
- § 450.103 System safety program.
- § 450.107 Hazard control strategies.
- § 450.108 Flight abort.
- § 450.109 Flight hazard analysis.
- § 450.110 Physical containment.
- § 450.111 Wind weighting.
- § 450.113 Flight safety analysis requirements—scope.
- § 450.115 Flight safety analysis methods.
- § 450.117 Trajectory analysis for normal flight.
- § 450.119 Trajectory analysis for malfunction flight.
- § 450.121 Debris analysis.
- § 450.123 Population exposure analysis.
- § 450.131 Probability of failure analysis.
- § 450.133 Flight hazard area analysis.
- § 450.135 Debris risk analysis.
- § 450.137 Far-field overpressure blast effects analysis.
- § 450.139 Toxic hazards for flight.
- § 450.141 Computing systems.
- § 450.143 Safety-critical system design, test, and documentation.
- § 450.145 Highly reliable flight safety system.
- § 450.147 Agreements.
- § 450.149 Safety-critical personnel qualifications.
- § 450.151 Work shift and rest requirements.
- § 450.153 Radio frequency management.
- § 450.155 Readiness.
- § 450.157 Communications.
- § 450.159 Pre-flight procedures.
- § 450.161 Control of hazard areas.
- § 450.163 Lightning hazard mitigation.
- § 450.165 Flight commit criteria.
- § 450.167 Tracking.
- § 450.169 Launch and reentry collision avoidance analysis requirements.
- § 450.171 Safety at end of launch.
- § 450.173 Mishap plan—reporting, response, and investigation requirements.
- § 450.175 Test-induced damage.
- § 450.177 Unique safety policies, requirements, and practices.
- § 450.179 Ground safety—general.
- § 450.181 Coordination with a site operator.
- § 450.183 Explosive site plan.
- § 450.185 Ground hazard analysis.
- § 450.187 Toxic hazards mitigation for ground operations.
- § 450.189 Ground safety prescribed hazard controls.
Subpart D— Terms and Conditions of a Vehicle Operator License 10 sections
- § 450.201 Responsibility for public safety and safety of property.
- § 450.203 Compliance.
- § 450.205 Financial responsibility requirements.
- § 450.207 Human spaceflight requirements.
- § 450.209 Compliance monitoring.
- § 450.211 Continuing accuracy of license application; application for modification of license.
- § 450.213 Pre-flight reporting.
- § 450.215 Post-flight reporting.
- § 450.217 Registration of space objects.
- § 450.219 Records.
Appendices & SFARs
Related Advisory Circulars 22 current · 5 cancelled
- AC 450.45-2Compliance when Contracting with a Federal EntityCurrent2025-03-11↗
- AC 450.115-2Describing Flight Safety Analysis MethodsCurrent2024-09-20↗
- AC 450.137-1De Minimis Far-Field Overpressure Blast Effects AnalysisCurrent2024-09-10↗
- AC 450.115-1BHigh Fidelity Flight Safety AnalysisCurrent2024-08-02↗
- AC 450.139-1Toxic HazardsCurrent2024-07-08↗
- AC 450.101-1BHigh Consequence Event ProtectionCurrent2024-05-03↗
- AC 450.45-1Launch and Reentry of Space Nuclear SystemsCurrent2023-10-20↗
- AC 450.169-1Launch and Reentry Collision Avoidance AnalysisCurrent2023-08-10↗
- AC 450.31-1Applying for FAA Determination on Policy or Payload ReviewsCurrent2023-08-10↗
- AC 450.161-1Control of Hazard AreasCurrent2022-12-21↗
- AC 450.123-1Population Exposure AnalysisCurrent2022-10-12↗
- AC 450.167-1Tracking for Launch and Reentry Safety AnalysisCurrent2022-09-29↗
- AC 450.3-1Definition of Launch and Scope of a Vehicle Operator LicenseCurrent2022-09-29↗
- AC 450.110-1Physical Containment as a Hazard Control StrategyCurrent2022-09-27↗
- AC 450.179-1Ground SafetyCurrent2021-09-22↗
- AC 450.103-1System Safety ProgramCurrent2021-09-07↗
- AC 450.117-1Trajectory Analysis for Normal FlightCurrent2021-08-19↗
- AC 450.141-1AComputing System SafetyCurrent2021-08-16↗
- AC 450.173-1Part 450 Mishap Plan – Reporting, Response, and Investigation RequirementsCurrent2021-08-12↗
- AC 450.109-1Flight Hazard AnalysisCurrent2021-08-05↗
- AC 450.107-1Hazard Control Strategies DeterminationCurrent2021-07-27↗
- AC 450.108-1Flight Abort Rule DevelopmentCurrent2021-07-27↗
- AC 450.115-1AHigh Fidelity Flight Safety AnalysisCancelled2021-06-24↗
- AC 450.101-1AHigh Consequence Event ProtectionCancelled2021-05-20↗
- AC 450.101-1High Consequence Event ProtectionCancelled2020-10-15↗
- AC 450.115-1High Fidelity Flight Safety AnalysisCancelled2020-10-15↗
- AC 450.141-1Computing System SafetyCancelled2020-10-15↗
Recent Federal Register activity last 25 of 15, newest first
- 2026-01-15NPRMMitigation Methods for Launch Vehicle Upper Stages on the Creation of Orbital Debris; WithdrawalRead →
- 2025-05-14NPRMAgency Advisory Circular: Reduced Reliability Flight Safety System Design, Test, and DocumentationRead →
- 2024-09-19RuleU.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act IncorporationRead →
- 2023-09-26NPRMMitigation Methods for Launch Vehicle Upper Stages on the Creation of Orbital DebrisRead →
- 2023-08-18NPRMU.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act IncorporationRead →
- 2021-03-09RuleStreamlined Launch and Reentry License RequirementsRead →
- 2020-12-10RuleStreamlined Launch and Reentry License RequirementsRead →
- 2019-07-22NPRMStreamlined Launch and Reentry Licensing Requirements; Notice of Availability and Extension of Comment PeriodRead →
- 2019-05-31NPRMStreamlined Launch and Reentry Licensing Requirements; Extension of Comment PeriodRead →
- 2019-04-15NPRMStreamlined Launch and Reentry Licensing RequirementsRead →
- 2005-12-29NPRMHuman Space Flight Requirements for Crew and Space Flight ParticipantsRead →
- 2000-12-22CorrectionFinancial Responsibility Requirements for Licensed Reentry ActivitiesFR ↗
- 2000-09-19RuleFinancial Responsibility Requirements for Licensed Reentry ActivitiesRead →
- 1999-12-13NPRMFinancial Responsibility Requirements for Licensed Reentry ActivitiesRead →
- 1999-10-06NPRMFinancial Responsibility Requirements for Licensed Reentry ActivitiesRead →