Concept of Operations for Commercial Space Transportation in the NationalAirspace System. Version 2.0. Narrative

摘要

The demand for access to the nation's airspace is projected to rise sharply inthe 21st century, due, in part, to growth of the commercial space transportation industry. This growth, coupled with significant increases in conventional air travel that are forecasted for the coming years, dictates re-examination of the current technology and methodology used for managing the National Airspace System (NAS). From a NAS service provider perspective, space and aviation operations must be seamlessly integrated in order to continue to provide efficient service to all NAS users. With this in mind, technological advances in areas such as communications, navigation, surveillance (CNS), and decision support must be leveraged to evolve a modernized NAS. Therefore, this Concept of Operations for Commercial Space Transportation in the NAS has been developed by the FAA Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) in anticipation of the evolution of a NAS environment in the 21st century that fully integrates commercial space operations. It is intended to support achievement of the nation's goals in space, as well as the FAA's strategic goals for maximizing system efficiency. This document underscores the importance of providing safe, efficient, and equitable access to all NAS users, and provides a resource to establish a framework for collaboration among stakeholders in developing a cost-effective strategy to meet projected demand increases for NAS services.