[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 69 (Thursday, April 10, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 19960]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08116]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Office of Commercial Space Transportation: Waypoint 2 Space 
Safety Approval Performance Criteria

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This is notification of criteria used to evaluate the Waypoint 
2 Space, Inc. (W2S) safety approval application. The FAA issued W2S a 
safety approval, subject to the provisions of Title 51 U.S.C Subtitle 
V, ch. 509, and the orders, rules and regulations issued under it. 
Pursuant to Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Sec.  414.35, 
this Notice publishes the criteria that were used to evaluate the 
safety approval application.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the performance 
criteria, you may contact Randal Maday, Licensing and Evaluation 
Division (AST-200), FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation 
(AST), 800 Independence Avenue SW., Room 331, Washington, DC 20591, 
telephone (202) 267-8652; Email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: W2S applied for, and received, a safety approval for 
its ability to provide as a service that includes classroom training 
in: Aerospace Physiology, Centrifuge, Altitude Chambers, 
Weightlessness, Neutral Buoyancy, Aerobatic Flight, Spacecraft Systems, 
Crew Resource Management, Pilot Procedures, Nominal and Off Nominal 
Procedures, Emergency Procedures, Egress, Survival, Search and Rescue, 
and Extra-Vehicular Activity. The training service includes Space 
Flight Participant, Commercial Payload Specialist, and Spaceflight 
Instructor Training Programs. In addition, the service includes 
practical Sub-Orbital and Orbital Flight training in: Neutral Buoyancy 
Environments, Parabolic Flight, Flight Simulators, Altitude Chambers, 
Spin and Upset Recovery, and G-Force adaptation.
    W2S may offer its commercial space training service to a 
prospective launch and reentry operator to meet the applicable crew and 
space flight participant training requirements of 14 CFR 460.5 and 14 
CFR 460.51.

Criteria Used To Evaluate Safety Approval Application

    The performance criteria for this safety approval include: Air 
Education and Training Instruction 11-219 Initial Flight Screening, Air 
Force Instruction (AFI) 11-401 Aerospace Physiological Training 
Program, AFI 11-202V1 Aircrew Training, AFI11-202V2 Aircrew 
Standardization/Evaluation Program, NASA/TP-2001-213726 A Review of 
Training Methods and Instructional Techniques, AFI 11-2C-130V1 C-130 
Aircrew Training, and AFI 11-301V1 Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE) 
Program. Furthermore, the performance criteria include 14 CFR 61.31(g) 
for additional training required for operating pressurized aircraft 
capable of operating at high altitudes. These United States Air Force, 
NASA, and FAA criteria are acceptable technical criteria for reviewing 
a safety approval application per 14 CFR 414.19. Many aspects of 
aviation training also apply to aerospace operations because it 
addresses human-vehicle interactions common to both aviation and 
aerospace. Training for Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) is also 
applicable because it pertains to operations that include Intra 
Vehicular Activity (IVA) in microgravity, which is performed during 
ascent and entry.
    The Spaceflight Instructor Training Program serves to develop 
instructors to better train space flight participants and crew. The 
FAA's evaluation included assessment of W2S's commercial space training 
service lesson plans and objectives, which include classroom, 
simulator, and flight training for crew and space flight participants 
to experience and demonstrate knowledge of the following through 
testing:
     Understand operations, environments, and the physiological 
effects associated with space flight.
     Understand and demonstrate crew resource management 
operations.
     Demonstrate adaptation and the ability to conduct 
applicable operations in spaceflight environments, which include flight 
during high and low gravity phases.
     Demonstrate competence in operations requiring use of a 
partial pressure suit.
     Demonstrate emergency egress procedures and proper use of 
life support equipment without assistance.
     Understand and experience nominal and off nominal vehicle 
conditions during flight.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 24, 2014.
 George C. Nield,
Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2014-08116 Filed 4-9-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P