Air Force and FAA collaborate on launch safety requirements Published Aug. 25, 2006 WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration officials strengthened their long history of cooperation and partnership in the commercial space launch safety arena today with the publication of the FAA's Licensing and Safety Requirements for Launch document, Code of Federal Regulations Title 14 Part 417. The FAA has worked with Air Force Space Command since 1997 to develop and improve standardized launch safety requirements, with an emphasis on continuing the legacy of experience and knowledge developed over the decades by Air Force safety personnel. These federal guidelines will ensure common safety standards for federal and non-federal launch sites, and will reduce costs, improve efficiency and ensure public safety during space launches. These launch safety requirements are the first such set of guidelines for non-federal launch sites, and were intended to codify and maintain safety measures that have been used by the Department of Defense and NASA for years. Air Force Space Command, based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., manages space launch activities at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., and Vandenberg AFB, Calif. In the 53 years that the Air Force has had oversight of public safety for space launch activities, there have been no injuries to the public resulting from launch operations.