Electronic Proceedings - United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

RICKY J. LEEThe Australian Space Activities Act 1998: Building the Regulatory Capacity for an Australian Launch Industrylaunch vehicle is regarded as having been substantially modified, thus requiring a FlightTest Plan, if its engine, navigation system, flight control system, flight terminationsystem or strap-on boosters have been changed or replaced. 57 The Flight Test Plan mustprovide for the conduct of test flights, including the use of flight tracking systems, thetesting of launch procedures, termination procedures for test flights and the recordingand reporting of the test results to the Government. 58Figure 3. The Space Licence Application ProcessThe need for a Technology Security Plan stems from the international obligations thatAustralia has under export control agreements to prevent nuclear, rocket, missile,satellite, flight guidance and targeting technologies from leaving Australia and fallinginto the wrong hands. The Technology Security Plan is required to set out the practicesadopted by the launch operator to protect the technology from unauthorised access oruse. 59 If a bilateral or multilateral agreement exists concerning the import and use ofspecific technologies into Australia, the Technology Security Plan must detail the stepsand procedures adopted by the launch operator to protect the technology that is thesubject of such agreements. 60The Emergency Plan for a launch facility and launch vehicle sets out the practices of thelaunch operator in responding to an emergency occurring at the facility or on the launch57Regulation 2.08(8).58Regulation 2.12.59Regulation 2.13(1)(a).60Regulation 2.13(1)(b). Article 12 of the Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government ofthe Russian Federation on Cooperation in the Field of the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes(the “Intergovernmental Agreement”) provides for such an agreement, presently being negotiated.125