2017-18001. Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewed Approval of Information Collection: Experimental Permits for Reusable Suborbital Rockets

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew a previously approved information collection. The FAA collects information from applicants for experimental permits in order to determine whether they satisfy the requirements for obtaining an experimental permit.

DATES:

Written comments should be submitted by September 25, 2017.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be addressed to the attention of the Desk Officer, Department of Transportation/FAA, and sent via electronic mail to [e-mail], or faxed to [phone], or mailed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Docket Library, Room 10102, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503.

Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information collection, including (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for FAA's performance; (b) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (d) ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of the collected information. The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Barbara Hall at [e-mail] or [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 2120-0722.

Title: Experimental Permits for Reusable Suborbital Rockets.

Form Numbers: There are no FAA forms associated with this collection.

Type of Review: Renewal of an information collection.

Background: The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on June 19, 2017 (82 FR 27949). There were no comments. 14 CFR part 437 established requirements for the FAA's authority to issue experimental permits for reusable suborbital rockets to authorize launches for the purpose of research and development, crew training and showing compliance with the regulations. The information collected includes data required for performing a safety review, which includes a technical assessment to determine if the applicant can launch a reusable suborbital rocket without jeopardizing public health and safety and the safety of property. This information collection requirement is intended for incorporating acquired data into the experimental permit, which then becomes binding on the launch or reentry operator. The applicant is required to submit information that enables FAA to determine, before issuing a permit, if issuance of the experimental permit would jeopardize the foreign policy or national security interests of the U.S.

Respondents: Approximately 10 applicants for experimental permits.

Frequency: On occasion.

Estimated Average Burden per Response: 18.6 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,567 hours.

Issued in Washington, DC on August 21, 2017.

Ronda L. Thompson,

FAA Information Collection Clearance Officer, Performance, Policy & Records Management Branch, ASP-110.