PART 6

Range Control Services
CHAPTER 2

Requirements about the licensee’s capability

The licensee’s organisation and management
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1
The matters which the licensee must ensure are in place to provide the licensee’s range control services in support of the operator’s spaceflight activities include—
a
the equipment, financial and technical resources necessary to provide those range control services and do any other matter authorised by the licence;
b
where the licensee’s range control services consist of or include the management of the designated range, the capability to ensure that the licensee is able to exercise effective control over each zone comprised in the designated range prior to and during the operator’s spaceflight activities, including co-ordinating operations with the spaceflight operator and the relevant authorities;
c
where the licensee’s range control services consist of or include the issue of notifications in connection with monitoring the designated range, the capability to issue notifications or ensure that such notifications are issued by the relevant authorities;
d
where the licensee’s range control services consist of or include the identification of the designated range, the technical capability to identify a range taking account of the operator’s spaceflight activities and the characteristics of the designated site or place;
e
where the licensee’s range control services consist of or include the tracking of the launch vehicle, the technical capability—
i
where the operator’s spaceflight activities are authorised by a launch operator licence, to track the position of the launch vehicle from launch to the point at which the licensee’s responsibility for tracking the launch vehicle ceases, as provided in the current safety case for the operator’s spaceflight activities;
ii
where the operator’s spaceflight activities are authorised by a return operator licence, to track the position of the launch vehicle until that vehicle lands in the United Kingdom, as provided in the current safety case for the operator’s spaceflight activities;
f
where the licensee’s range control services consist of or include monitoring functions, the technical ability to conduct surveillance of the designated range in order to detect the position and speed of objects, including ships and aircraft, entering the designated range prior to and during the operator’s spaceflight activities;
g
sufficient suitably qualified and experienced employees or agents to do the things authorised by the licence and an appropriate management structure;
h
effective communication networks to enable all parties involved in the provision of the licensee’s range control services to communicate with each other and with persons involved in the operator’s spaceflight activities during the provision of the licensee’s range control services;
i
facilities or infrastructure;
j
the capability to comply with—
i
all relevant requirements under any enactment relating to the provision of the licensee’s range control services including health and safety requirements, and
ii
any requirement contained in a condition subject to which the licence is granted.
2
In paragraph (1)(i) “facilities or infrastructure” include facilities or infrastructure relating to communications, the collection and retention of information and data, and access to a supply of electrical power and other utilities.
3
The licensee must ensure that the supply of electrical power and other utilities referred to in paragraph (2) is provided and maintained so as to ensure that the provision of the licensee’s range control services is not interrupted or compromised prior to or during the operator’s spaceflight activities.
See section 5(1) of the Space Industry Act 2018 for the definition of “zone”.
Reg. 42 in force at 29.7.2021, see reg. 1(1)