Filling the Regulatory Void for Launch and Reentry Safety Resulting from the Commercialization of Space Operations

This paper examines the regulatory gaps in the existing frameworks, particularly in the international domain. While there remain unresolved questions with regard to ICAO as it applies to suborbital flight, the ability of ICAO to develop standards and recommended practices for the portion of the operation that takes place in civil airspace is clear. These standards are necessary to ensure the safety of civil airspace for both traditional airspace users and launch operators, and the interaction of spaceports with civil airspace.