14 CFR §417.119
Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
- (a)General. A launch operator must rehearse its launch crew and systems to identify corrective actions needed to ensure public safety. The launch operator must conduct all rehearsals as follows:
- (1)A launch operator must assess any anomalies identified by a rehearsal, and must incorporate any changes to launch processing and flight needed to correct any anomaly that is material to public safety.
- (2)A launch operator must inform the FAA of any public safety related anomalies and related changes in operations performed during launch processing or flight resulting from a rehearsal.
- (3)For each launch, each person with a public safety critical role who will participate in the launch processing or flight of a launch vehicle must participate in at least one related rehearsal that exercises his or her role during nominal and non-nominal conditions so that the launch vehicle will not harm the public.
- (4)A launch operator must conduct the rehearsals identified in this section for each launch.
- (5)At least one rehearsal must simulate normal and abnormal preflight and flight conditions to exercise the launch operator's launch plans.
- (6)A launch operator may conduct rehearsals at the same time if joint rehearsals do not create hazardous conditions, such as changing a hardware configuration that affects public safety, during the rehearsal.
- (b)Countdown rehearsal. A launch operator must conduct a rehearsal using the countdown plan, procedures, and checklist required by § 417.111(l). A countdown rehearsal must familiarize launch personnel with all countdown activities, demonstrate that the planned sequence of events is correct, and demonstrate that there is adequate time allotted for each event. A launch operator must hold a countdown rehearsal after the assembly of the launch vehicle and any launch support systems into their final configuration for flight and before the launch readiness review required by § 417.117.
- (c)Emergency response rehearsal. A launch operator must conduct a rehearsal of the emergency response section of the accident investigation plan required by § 417.111(h)(2). A launch operator must conduct an emergency response rehearsal for a first launch of a new vehicle, for any additional launch that involves a new safety hazard, or for any launch where more than a year has passed since the last rehearsal.
- (d)Communications rehearsal. A launch operator must rehearse each part of the communications plan required by § 417.111(k), either as part of another rehearsal or during a communications rehearsal.