The Space Industry Regulations 2021

The launch vehicle’s ground support equipment

92.—(1) A spaceflight operator must not use a launch vehicle’s ground support equipment unless such equipment is fit for supporting the operator’s spaceflight activities.

(2) A launch vehicle’s ground support equipment is fit for supporting the operator’s spaceflight activities if that equipment—

(a) complies with the conditions in paragraph (3), and

(b) complies with any conditions about that equipment in the launch operator licence or the return operator licence.

(3) The conditions are that the ground support equipment—

(a) has been designed to a specification that meets the technical requirements of the launch vehicle,

(b) has been built consistently with that specification, and

(c) has been through the verification and validation processes set out in regulation 94 which demonstrate that it—

(i) conforms with the condition in sub-paragraph (a),

(ii) is free from workmanship errors which could prevent the equipment supporting the launch vehicle and the operator’s spaceflight activities being carried out safely,

(iii) is otherwise ready to support the launch vehicle and those activities, and

(iv) is capable of supporting those activities being carried out safely.