The Space Industry Regulations 2021

CHAPTER 4 U.K. Safety case: retention, review and revision

Requirement to retain the safety case U.K.

154.  A spaceport licensee must retain its current safety case for the duration of the licence.

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 154 in force at 29.7.2021, see reg. 1(1)

Safety case review and revision requirement U.K.

155.—(1) A spaceport licensee must review and, where necessary, revise its current safety case—

(a) no more than five years after the date on which the licence was granted, and

(b) at intervals not exceeding five years following the first review mentioned in sub-paragraph (a).

(2) Despite paragraph (1), the spaceport licensee must review and, where necessary, revise its current safety case—

(a) following an occurrence at the spaceport;

(b) where it becomes aware of an occurrence that has occurred elsewhere and which may affect the safe operation of the spaceport;

(c) where a review is justified by new facts or by technological knowledge about safety matters, including knowledge arising from analysis of accidents or occurrences;

(d) where a review is justified by developments in knowledge concerning the assessment of hazards;

(e) before—

(i) making modifications to the spaceport,

(ii) making changes to the licensed activities,

(iii) a new carrier aircraft or launch vehicle operates from the spaceport,

(iv) a new payload is to be carried by a launch vehicle operating at the spaceport, or

(v) introducing new types of hazardous material to the spaceport, or increasing the quantities of hazardous material that are to be transported on or stored at the spaceport,

where such changes could have material consequences for risk;

(f) following any change to the safety management system which may introduce new risks or hazards or change the nature of existing hazards;

(g) if the regulator directs the spaceport licensee to review, or review and revise, its current safety case.

(3) In carrying out a review of a safety case the spaceport licensee must take into account the spaceport licensee’s safety duty under regulation 152.

Commencement Information

I2 Reg. 155 in force at 29.7.2021, see reg. 1(1)

Steps required after review, or review and revision, of safety case U.K.

156.—(1) Where a spaceport licensee revises its safety case it must supply to the regulator without delay and, where regulation 155(2)(e) applies, in advance of the proposed change—

(a) the revised safety case, and

(b) any other information about the revision of the safety case which the regulator requires.

(2) Where a safety case has been reviewed under regulation 155 and a decision has been taken not to revise it, the spaceport licensee must without delay—

(a) inform the regulator in writing, and

(b) provide the regulator with written reasons for that decision.

(3) Until the spaceport licensee has received the regulator’s confirmation in writing that it accepts the revised safety case supplied to it under paragraph (1), the licensee must not implement any changes to its licensed activities as a result of any revision of that safety case.

Commencement Information

I3 Reg. 156 in force at 29.7.2021, see reg. 1(1)