FAA Seeking to Balance Rocket Launches with Air Traffic Written 18 April 2023
Northrop Grumman's Antares rocket with the Cygnus resupply spacecraft onboard, launches from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, in Wallops Island, Va. | Associated Press–©
USA Today reports that the Federal Aviation Administration “announced new guidelines for space launch approvals to ensure that air traffic controllers aren’t stretched too thin,” as private space launches are increasing and the FAA continues to deal with staffing issues. The FAA said in a statement, “The agency will rely on a set of objective factors to better balance the needs of launch licensees, as well as airlines, general aviation and the military to minimize disruptions.” USA Today adds, “With many space flights taking off on the Eastern Seaboard, an already-crowded sector of the airspace for commercial flights, those closures can create major headaches for air traffic controllers.”
Full Story (USA Today)