Information required for a request for authorisation
Determine who is the operator of the space operation
It is important to clearly identify the operator. The space operator is defined as follows:
« natural person or legal entity that conducts a space operation independently and under their own responsibility. »
Any natural person or legal entity owning the space object or group of coordinated space objects is presumed to be a space operator unless it can demonstrate that it has delegated to a third party all decisions relating to space operations for the space object or group of space objects in question, thereby qualifying this third party as a space operator.
The operator is therefore the entity that decides how to operate the spacecraft and sets the mission objectives, without necessarily being the entity that carries out the operations.
Determine what is required and for how long
There are several types of request for:
- An in-orbit control authorisation: Any authorisation to control a space object is given for all the technical operations necessary for this control, whether they are carried out by the operator itself or by one or more persons acting under its authority, in particular positioning and station-keeping manoeuvres, orbital manoeuvres and de-orbiting.
- An authorisation to transfer control of a space object when:
- An FSOA operator wishes to transfer control of its object to another FSOA operator.
- An FSOA operator wishes to transfer control of its object to another operator who is not subject to the FSOA.
- An FSOA operator wishes to acquire control of an object operated by an operator who is not subject to the FSOA.
- For in-orbit delivery, the operator will need to obtain a control authorisation and a transfer authorisation. Compliance with all the articles of the technical regulations shall be established, even those relating to operations planned after the transfer (such as disposal).
- A Technical licence. This will apply to all objects based on the same platform within the strict scope of the licence application, for the same flight envelope.
Application Process
The first step for the operator is to contact the CNES FSOA Office and the DGRI. This contact can be made through the contact form on this site.
In order to support operators when they submit their applications, the FSOA Office offers a number of discussion points beforehand. This means that an operator can contact the CNES FSOA Office well before submitting a request for authorisation. This contact will enable us to prepare the authorisation application in the best possible way, to create a space dedicated to this operator on the official FSOA discussion platform and to define the schedule associated with this application.
Given the regulatory deadlines, we recommend submitting the FSOA application on FSOA discussion platform no later than 5 to 6 months before the launch date.
The overall authorisation process is described in the following 7-step diagram:
Reviews start when the applications are complete and registered by the Ministry (completeness phase completed).
Issuance of the final opinion, order and requirements
Processing of pre-launch requirements
In accordance with the deadlines set out in the requirements, the operator sends the CNES FSOA Office the documents required to close out the pre-launch requirements.
The FSOA Office analyses these documents and draws up a statement of requirements. This document is distributed to the operator via the FSOA platform.
The order issued by the Ministry sets out pre-launch and, in some cases, post-launch requirements. The launch can only take place once all the pre-launch requirements have been closed out.
Where applicable, post-launch requirements will be processed according to the schedule defined in the order.
In-flight monitoring / Inspection plan
Processing of post-launch requirements
For in-flight monitoring, here are some examples of requirements to be closed out after launch. These examples concern two satellites subject to the FSOA that will be transferred in orbit to an operator not subject to the FSOA.
The discussion platform
The operator must first apply for an account to access the platform. It provides CNES with the list of users (surname, first name and email address) who need access to the platform.
A login, password, security certificate and user file are sent to each user.
When they log on for the first time, all users must sign a user and confidentiality charter.
