14 CFR § 420.25 - Launch site location review—risk analysis.
---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t14/s420.25"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "14 CFR § 420.25 - Launch site location review—risk analysis."
title_number: 14
title_name: "Aeronautics and Space"
section_number: "420.25"
section_name: "Launch site location review—risk analysis."
chapter_name: "COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION, FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION"
subchapter_number: "C"
subchapter_name: "LICENSING"
part_number: "420"
part_name: "LICENSE TO OPERATE A LAUNCH SITE"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "51 U.S.C. 50901-50923."
regulatory_source: "Docket No. FAA-1999-5833, 65 FR 62861, Oct. 19, 2000, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "420"
---
# 420.25 Launch site location review—risk analysis.
(a) If a flight corridor or impact dispersion area defined by § 420.23 contains a populated area, the applicant shall estimate the casualty expectation associated with the flight corridor or impact dispersion area. An applicant shall use the methodology provided in appendix C to this part for guided orbital or suborbital expendable launch vehicles and appendix D for unguided suborbital launch vehicles.
(b) For licensed launches, the FAA will not approve the location of the proposed launch point if the estimated expected casualty exceeds 1 × 10<sub>−4</sub>.
[Doc. No. FAA-1999-5833, 65 FR 62861, Oct. 19, 2000, as amended by Amdt. 420-3, 72 FR 17019, Apr. 6, 2007; Docket No. FAA-2014-0418, Amdt. No. 420-7, 81 FR 47027, July 20, 2016; Doc. No. FAA-2016-6761, Amdt. No. 420-8, 83 FR 28535, June 20, 2018]