The Space Industry Regulations 2021

CHAPTER 1 Interpretation

Interpretation

78.—(1) In this Part—

“current safety case” means—

(a)

if the safety case has not been revised and accepted by the regulator in accordance with regulations 80 and 81, the safety case, or

(b)

if the safety case has been revised and accepted by the regulator in accordance with regulations 80 and 81, that revised safety case;

“fit for the operator’s spaceflight activities”—

(a)

in the case of a launch vehicle has the meaning given in regulation 91(2);

(b)

in the case of a range means that—

(i)

the range is suitable for carrying out those activities safely, and

(ii)

the Secretary of State is providing range control services for those activities or another person providing those services is authorised to do so by a range control licence;

(c)

in the case of a spaceport means that—

(i)

the spaceport is suitable for carrying out those activities safely, and

(ii)

the operation of the spaceport is authorised by a spaceport licence which permits the carrying out of the operator’s spaceflight activities at that spaceport;

(d)

in the case of a place other than a spaceport from which the launch or landing is to take place or takes place means that place is suitable for carrying out those activities safely;

“fit for supporting the operator’s spaceflight activities” in relation to a launch vehicle’s ground support equipment, has the meaning given in regulation 92(2);

“flight” means—

(a)

in regulations 89, 99 and 100 and paragraph 19 of Schedule 5, any period from the moment when the launch vehicle first moves for the purpose of launching until the completion of the operator’s spaceflight activities but does not include any period when that vehicle has reached a stable orbit;

(b)

in other regulations, any period from the moment when the launch vehicle first moves for the purpose of launching until the completion of the operator’s spaceflight activities;

“flight recorder” means any device for recording data relating to the flight of the launch vehicle, whether or not the device is located on the launch vehicle;

“operating staff” means an employee or agent of a spaceflight operator;

“range control service provider” means the Secretary of State or a person who holds a range control licence and provides range control services to a spaceflight operator;

“relevant air navigation service providers” means air navigation service providers which are relevant to the operator’s spaceflight activities;

“relevant emergency services” means emergency services which are likely to be required to respond to an emergency at the location of the operator’s spaceflight activities;

“relevant meteorological service providers” means meteorological service providers which are relevant to the operator’s spaceflight activities;

“risk assessment” is to be construed in accordance with regulation 32;

“safety case” is to be construed in accordance with regulation 29;

“safety-critical information” has the meaning given in paragraph 1 of Schedule 4;

“safety operations manual” is to be construed in accordance with regulation 90(1);

“spaceflight duties” means duties in connection with the operator’s spaceflight activities;

“spaceflight operator’s safety duty” means the requirement in regulation 79(1).

(2) In this Part “carrying out the operator’s spaceflight activities safely” or “to carry out the operator’s spaceflight activities safely” has the meaning given in regulation 79(2).

(3) Any reference in this Part to the operator’s spaceflight activities being “carried out safely” is to be read in accordance with regulation 79(2).