FAA/AST

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FAA/AST is the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation.

The Federal Aviation Administration's Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) is the U.S. government organization responsible for regulating and facilitating the safe operations and international competitiveness of the U.S. commercial space transportation industry.

It is responsible for licensing private space vehicles and spaceports within the US. This is in contrast with NASA that is a research and development agency of the US Federal Government, and as such neither operates nor regulates the commercial space transportation industry. The regulatory responsibility for the industry falls to the Federal Aviation Administration, which is a regulatory agency. NASA does, however, often use launch satellites and spacecraft on vehicles developed by private companies.

[edit] Organization

Space Systems Development Division (AST-100)
Licensing and Safety Division (AST-200)
Systems Engineering & Training Division (AST-300)

[edit] History

It was etablished by an act of Congress in 2004.

Law: 49 USC, Subtitle IX, Chapter 701 - Commercial Space Launch activities, gave FAA/AST the responsibility to:

regulate the commercial space transportation industry, only to the extent necessary to ensure compliance with international obligations of the United States and to protect the public health and safety, safety of property, and national security and foreign policy interest of the United States;
encourage, facilitate, and promote commercial space launches by the private sector;
recommend appropriate changes in Federal statutes, treaties, regulations, policies, plans, and procedures; and
facilitate the strengthening and expansion of the United States space transportation infrastructure.