Fwd: [SS-Main] Revised FAA regulations on Amateur Rocketry
Bryan Bishop
From: Richard Nakka <rich...@rogers.com>
Date: Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 7:07 PM
Subject: [SS-Main] Revised FAA regulations on Amateur Rocketry
To: Sugar Shot <ss-...@sugarshot.org>
FAA regulations on Amateur Rocketry ( 14 CFR Parts 1, 101 & 401 ) have
recently been amended. The "Final Rule" (eff. Dec.2008) is similar to
the NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule Making) that was released back in June
2007. The intent of amending the rules was, in FAA words, to "preserve
the safety record of amateur rocketry activities" and to "clarify and
modernize existing amateur rocketry regulations".
These regulations govern all types of "amateur rocketry" in USA
including model rocketry, High Power rocketry, as well as true
(non-commercial) rocketry including space shots such as SS2S.
Some of the changes that are of interest to SS2S are summarized:
The definition of "amateur rocket" has been transferred to Part 1 (was
401.5). The total impulse limit remains the same at 200,000 lb-sec
(890,000 N-sec) as the old regs. This has not been a problem for SS2S as
our expected total impulse is expected to be 120,000 lb-sec. What is new
is the requirement that the rocket cannot reach an altitude greater than
150 km (93 miles). For SS2S, this is not an issue, as our goal is the
100 km mark (boundary of space).
The classification of amateur rockets has changed somewhat. There are
now 3 classes:
Class 1: model rockets with no more than 125 grams propellant
Class 2: High-power rocket with a total impulse of no more than 9,208
lb-sec (40,960 N-sec).
Class 3: All other amateur rockets.
A new requirement (per 101.23) is that the rocket be launched in a
sub-orbital trajectory. Again, does not affect SS2S. In fact, this is
one requirement that is clearly superfluous and I don't understand why
it was added. The total impulse limit makes achieving orbit impossible.
I'd meant to write to FAA when the NPRM was issued, with this comment,
but never got around to it.
MiniSShot falls into Class 2. The requirements for launching a Class 2
rocket have actually been simplified. The class that DoubleSShot and
ExSShot will fall into is Class 3. More complicated informational
requirements are needed to be submitted to FAA (compared to Class 2)
such as maximum possible range, dynamic stability characteristics, full
description of all rocket systems, etc. Apparently this info is already
required by FAA for large rockets and so the rule is not adding any
additional burden. None of these informational requirements should pose
any undue hardship on SS2S, as we're pretty used to analyzing and fully
documenting everything.
The most significant changes to the new rule, with regard to SS2S, are
the elimination of the "burn time" (limited to 15 seconds) restriction
and "ballistic coefficient" (gross weight divided by frontal area of the
rocket) restriction. Both of these restrictions were a thorn in our side
and difficult to meet with a low performance sugar propellant.
In conclusion, if we do launch from the USA, the new FAA regulations are
a welcome step forward in our quest for reaching space.
More info: http://www.rocketryplanet.com/content/view/2678/28/
Richard
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