The Space Industry Regulations 2021

Certificates and confirmation of medical fitness

73.—(1) No individual may take part in any spaceflight activities on board a launch vehicle, or training for spaceflight activities which takes place on board a launch vehicle, unless that individual—

(a) in the case of a crew member or remote pilot, holds a valid medical certificate issued by an approved aeromedical examiner;

(b) in the case of a spaceflight participant, has been confirmed as being medically fit to fly by an approved aeromedical examiner.

(2) An approved aeromedical examiner may only issue a medical certificate under paragraph (1), or confirm that a spaceflight participant is medically fit to fly, if—

(a) the examiner has carried out a medical examination of the applicant and an assessment of that individual’s medical history, and

(b) following that assessment and examination, the examiner is satisfied that the individual concerned is medically fit—

(i) to participate in the spaceflight activities proposed for that individual, and

(ii) to carry out that individual’s duties, if any, in relation to those activities.

(3) In determining whether an individual is medically fit for the purposes of paragraph (2)(b), the approved aeromedical examiner must take into account any operational or environmental conditions which—

(a) the spaceflight operator has identified as being likely to apply in relation to the spaceflight activities in which the individual would be participating or acting as a crew member, and

(b) are relevant to the individual’s state of fitness.

(4) An approved aeromedical examiner must not determine that a crew member or remote pilot is medically fit for the purposes of paragraph (2)(b), unless—

(a) that individual meets—

(i) in the case of a member of the flight crew, other than a balloon pilot, or a remote pilot, the requirements for a Class 1 certificate for single pilot commercial air transport operations carrying passengers set out in section 2 of Sub-Part B of Annex IV to the Aircrew Regulation,

(ii) in the case of a member of the cabin crew or a balloon pilot, the requirements for a Class 2 certificate set out in that section of Sub-Part B of Annex IV to the Aircrew Regulation, and

(iii) any medical requirements imposed by the regulator in conditions on the spaceflight operator’s licence, or

(b) paragraph (5) applies.

(5) This paragraph applies if—

(a) the individual concerned has been assessed by an approved medical assessor, and

(b) the assessor is satisfied that the individual’s condition—

(i) will not compromise the safety of any spaceflight activities in which the individual will be participating or of any other individual on board the launch vehicle, and

(ii) will not prevent the individual from performing the tasks assigned by the licensee to the individual’s role.

(6) An approved aeromedical examiner may—

(a) issue a medical certificate, or

(b) confirm that an individual is medically fit to fly,

subject to any conditions which the examiner reasonably considers must be satisfied for the individual concerned to be considered to be medically fit to fly.

(7) Where an approved aeromedical examiner has issued a medical certificate, or confirmed that the individual concerned is medically fit to fly subject to conditions under paragraph (6), that individual does not meet the requirement in paragraph (1) unless those conditions are satisfied.