Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Old Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20502

B -- NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR MANAGEMENT AND USE OF U.S. SPACE LAUNCH BASES AND RANGES SOL 99-26 DUE 060799 POC Point of Contact -- Jefferson Hofgard, 202-456-6043 The Office of Science and Technology Policy, Space Policy Group is requesting comments seeking input from companies with an interest in U.S. commercial space activities as described below: I. INTRODUCTION On March 31, 1999, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced that OSTP and the National Security Council are co-chairing an interagency review on the future management and use of the U.S. space launch bases and ranges. The President?s 1994 National Space Transportation Policy states that ?Assuring reliable and affordable access to space through U.S. space transportation capabilities is a fundamental goal of the U.S. space program.? Clear and appropriate roles and responsibilities of the government and the private sector, including management and operation of the U.S. space launch bases are critical to the ability of all four U.S. space sectors?military, intelligence, civil, and commercial?to access space. Over the past few years, commercial sector launch activities have begun to outpace government activities at the U.S. space launch bases and their supporting ranges. Based on industry projections, this trend will continue, with the majority of launches per year being commercial. This review will assess the implications of the continuing increase in commercial launches and develop appropriate policy recommendations on the future management and use of the launch bases and ranges. The review will assess civil, commercial, and national security roles and responsibilities for operations, maintenance, improvement, and modernization at U.S. space launch bases and ranges, particularly at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida. The review will be structured to accommodate inputs from each affected U.S. space sector, including state and local governments and operators of non-federal launch sites, commonly referred to as spaceports. Implementation of the recommendations will be accomplished within the overall resource and policy guidance provided by the President. II. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES This review will develop a national strategy for management and use of the U.S. space launch bases and ranges. This national strategy will: 1. Describe the current division of roles and responsibilities for management of the U.S. space launch bases and ranges; 2. Describe a desired future end state, or vision for the future management of the launch bases and ranges, and identify intermediate steps leading to that desired end state; and 3. Define how management roles and funding responsibilities for operation and maintenance (O&M) and improvement and modernization (I&M) of the launch bases and ranges, including infrastructure, facilities, and systems should be divided between the U.S. government and commercial space sectors and among U.S. government departments and agencies. III. SCOPE OF REVIEW This review will address major aspects of applicable policy and law, as well as the division of management roles, funding responsibilities, and allocation of risk between the U.S. government and the U.S. commercial space sector for all aspects of launch base and range management at Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, including ownership, operations, maintenance, sustainment, and modernization as they relate to the following elements: 1. Base Ownership (e.g., environmental approval processes and responsibilities, land use planning and assignment, lease and license processes and approvals for use of real property, compliance monitoring for lease and environmental requirements, etc) 2. Supporting Infrastructure (e.g., utility systems; roads; security; airfield operations; ordnance, propellant and commodity storage, handling, and delivery; fire protection; medical care; office space; lab analysis; calibration services; etc) 3. Space Launch Operations Facilities and Systems (e.g., payload and launch vehicle processing and assembly, space launch complexes, launch control centers, checkout control centers, etc) 4. Range Facilities and Systems (e.g., radars and/or other metric tracking assets, optical tracking assets, telemetry receivers and processing systems including software development, command transmitters and/or other safety systems and assets, communications systems, range operations control center, test and evaluation support, scheduling functions, airspace management and coordination, planning for modernization, etc) 5. Safety Responsibilities and Operations (e.g., OSHA compliance; safety training and certification requirements and implementation; ground safety -- including requirements, standards, procedures, and review and approval functions; flight safety?including analysis, design requirements and standards for flight systems, and operational roles; system safety?including design requirements and standards for spacecraft and launch vehicle safety, and review and approval functions) IV. GROUND RULES AND ASSUMPTIONS The following ground rules and assumptions will apply as a point of departure for this review. These ground rules focus on projected workload at the U.S. space launch bases and ranges, the makeup of the customer base, the future of certain programs, and the policy environment. 1. The National Mission Model, COMSTAC GEO, and FAA LEO Forecasts will be used to project future U.S. space launch missions. 2. ICBM, SLBM, and aeronautical test requirements are included in the current 30th and 45th Space Wing workload forecasts. 3. EELV is planned to be operational from 2001/2002 to at least 2020. Current ELVs will continue operating on a commercial basis to address market demand. U.S. Air Force responsibilities for the supporting infrastructure and space launch operations facilities and systems associated with Atlas and Delta will be phased out as EELV becomes operational. 4. The Space Shuttle will continue operating at least until a suitable replacement is available and has demonstrated desired reliability. The shuttle commercialization effort will proceed as permitted by policy and law. 5. Reusable launch vehicle (RLV) technology demonstrations will begin as early as 1999 with the X-34 and continue at least through 2010. 6. Commercial RLV development and test will continue, and operations will begin in 1999 if development and test are successful. 7. The Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) program will remain on track and be complete by 2006. 8. The U.S. Air Force will continue to own launch base real estate for the foreseeable future. 9. To stimulate private sector investment, ownership, and operation of space assets, the U.S. Government will facilitate stable and predictable U.S. commercial sector access to appropriate U.S. Government space-related hardware, facilities, and data. 10. The U.S. government will continue to facilitate commercial space activities without direct federal subsidies to commercial industry, per current policy. 11. The U.S. government will continue to reserve the right to use U.S. space launch and range-related capabilities on a priority basis to meet national security and critical civil sector requirements. 12. For the foreseeable future, U.S. government payloads will be launched on U.S.-manufactured launch vehicles unless exempted by the President or his designee, per current policy. 13. U.S. Government agencies, in acquiring space-launch related capabilities, will, to the extent feasible and consistent with mission requirements involve the private sector in the design and development of space transportation capabilities and encourage private sector financing as appropriate, and encourage private sector and State and local government investment and participation in the development and improvement of U.S. launch systems and infrastructure. V. REQUEST FOR INPUTS The interagency working group (IWG) is seeking inputs from the U.S. commercial space sector (e.g., companies with an interest in U.S. commercial space activities, launch vehicle and satellite manufacturers, launch and satellite services providers, base and range operations contractors, launch site operators, operators of commercial payload processing facilities, etc.), academia, and representatives of the nonprofit sector. The IWG is also seeking the views of state and local governments, particularly as they relate to the operation of non-federal launch sites, commonly referred to as spaceports. Inputs should be succinct?no more than 10 pages total?and organized to address the five elements identified in section III above. Comments should address your views regarding the appropriate division of roles and responsibilities between the federal government and the U.S. commercial space sector, as well as your views on any aspects of policy, law, or federal regulations applicable to implementing your views regarding this division of responsibilities. Submissions should be in writing, postmarked by June 7, 1999, and sent to: Space Policy Group Executive Office of the President Office of Science and Technology Policy Old Executive Office Building Washington, DC 20502 Posted 05/07/99 (D-SN328994). (0127)

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