FAA approves renewal of Oklahoma Spaceport license

After completing a comprehensive review, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the renewal of the spaceport license for the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority.

The license authorizes the Authority to operate a launch site at the Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark in Burns Flat, Okla., in support of FAA-licensed or –permitted suborbital missions by reusable launch vehicles. The license is valid for five years. 

There are currently 12 commercial FAA-licensed spaceports, located in Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia (see map).

The FAA’s top priority in regulating commercial space transportation is that launch and reentry operations are safe for the public. The agency protects public safety by licensing commercial launch and reentry activities and monitoring FAA-licensed operations to make sure all phases comply with the regulations. The FAA also issues safety approvals for launch and reentry vehicles, various safety systems and the personnel performing licensed activities.

An FAA license is required to conduct any commercial launch or reentry, the operation of any launch or reentry site by U.S. citizens anywhere in the world, or by any person or entity within the United States.