SCF-58

Understand safety regulations

Understand and apply safety protocols and regulatory standards to ensure spacecraft operations adhere to safety and compliance requirements.

Proficiency levels

Level Description
Aware
  • Can describe key terms and fundamental concepts related to safety protocols and regulatory standards.
  • Can identify international agreements and standards, such as ITU (International Telecommunication Union), ESA regulations, or COSPAR planetary protection guidelines.
  • Can identify space-specific hazards (e.g. radiation, orbital debris, or high-energy systems).
Practitioner
  • Can interpret and implement basic safety protocols and regulatory standards.
  • Can apply standard safety protocols and regulatory standards.
  • Can familiarity with key regulations and procedures, ensuring that day-to-day operations are conducted in accordance with established safety guidelines and compliance standards.
  • Can describe how safety and compliance requirements are incorporated into all phases of the mission lifecycle, from design to decommissioning.
Senior Practitioner
  • Can interpret and implement complex safety protocols and regulatory standards.
  • Can manage safety and compliance issues, conduct thorough safety assessments, and address any regulatory concerns that arise during spacecraft development, launch and operations.
  • Can evaluate the safety implications of novel mission designs or operational strategies, such as reusability, on-orbit servicing, or autonomous systems.
  • Can provide training and advice to relevant people to ensure awareness of spacecraft and ground station safety and security and compliance with specific industry hazards and relevant HSE regulations such as working with microwave radiation, lasers, high voltages and working at height.
Expert
  • Can influence global safety policy and regulatory frameworks through participation in international bodies such as the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
  • Can provide guidance on handling high-risk operations, including human-rated systems, deep-space missions, or high-frequency satellite launches.
  • Can develop and innovate safety technologies, such as AI-enabled risk assessment tools or advanced hazard monitoring systems.