Why does rocketry require so much clearance and authorizations?

[CoriW]

Well, about 15 minutes ago I was watching rocketry video's on YouTube and seen some quite respectable launches up to around 121,000 feet (36880 meters), and decided to take a quick look at some of the regulations and such for doing rocketry in my country (Canada). Within about 2 minutes of looking I quickly discovered that there is a whole slew of clearances and authorizations you need, which is unfortunate because for that reason I'll probably never actually get into rocketry.

So I guess what I'm asking is why there are so many clearances and authorizations.

I mean of course there is the whole aircraft thing...

And the fact that it's a rocket, which could be misused for a whole bunch of things...

And the other fact that rockets can be dangerous if you don't know what your doing...

And probably a whole bunch more things I'm missing... But still!

I really wanted to get into rocketry and make a multi-stage rocket that can reach like 330,000 feet and not this 121,000 feet that everybody is calling "space", which it's not. (Read: Outer Space 'Boundary')

EDIT: Actually, nevermind. Rocketry is expensive... *fail*

Edited October 23, 2013 by CoriW

[Captain Sierra]

airplanes aside, what is a missile? Basically a guided rocket with explosives that doesn't go to space.

Then there is the problems with it coming down on someone's house, the fact that rocket motors are effectively controlled explosions, the bigger the rocketry, the more dangerous it becomes and the more regulated it has to be.

[CoriW]

airplanes aside, what is a missile? Basically a guided rocket with explosives that doesn't go to space.

Then there is the problems with it coming down on someone's house, the fact that rocket motors are effectively controlled explosions, the bigger the rocketry, the more dangerous it becomes and the more regulated it has to be.

So in other words...

And the fact that it's a rocket, which could be misused for a whole bunch of things...

And the other fact that rockets can be dangerous if you don't know what your doing...

EDIT: I think I had actually answered my own question in the question... But decided to post anyways.

[lajoswinkler]

I don't think you realize how hard high power rocketry is. You'll never reach Kármán line my working on your own, using homemade stuff. You'd need a team and access to really powerful fuels to make it happen.

I think you don't need any clearance for stuff that doesn't exceed 1 km, which is basic amateur rocketry. If you want to approach 5 km, you really need clearance because you might cause an accident.

When people release balloon probes with cameras, they always include metal foil surfaces to appear visible to aircraft radars. High flying rockets should have that, too.

Parachutes are also very important. Even if you go couple of hundred metres, without parachute the rocket falls down at tremendous speeds, producing a sound of a missile, and it will kill you if it lands on your head.

Each launch should be a finale of extensive testing.

If you live in the middle of nowhere, you can be less careful, but anything close to populated areas is a hazard. Always include a parachute system.

Edited October 24, 2013 by lajoswinkler

[CoriW]

I don't think you realize how hard high power rocketry is. You'll never reach Kármán line my working on your own, using homemade stuff. You'd need a team and access to really powerful fuels to make it happen.

I think you don't need any clearance for stuff that doesn't exceed 1 km, which is basic amateur rocketry. If you want to approach 5 km, you really need clearance because you might cause an accident.

When people release balloon probes with cameras, they always include metal foil surfaces to appear visible to aircraft radars. High flying rockets should have that, too.

Parachutes are also very important. Even if you go couple of hundred metres, without parachute the rocket falls down at tremendous speeds, producing a sound of a missile, and it will kill you if it lands on your head.

Each launch should be a finale of extensive testing.

If you live in the middle of nowhere, you can be less careful, but anything close to populated areas is a hazard. Always include a parachute system.

Well, I do realize how hard it is, I just haven't experienced how hard it is. But either way I don't plan on getting into rocketry for the moment anyways, it was just sort of a spur of the moment thing and I decided to look up some stuff about it.

EDIT: Right so it's a wee bit harder than I assumed... (Watch:

) Edited October 24, 2013 by CoriW

[UNSA]

Atleast in North America, after you cross a certain height threshold you are passing into airspace that is monitored by the FAA, and they want to be made aware if there are going to be any high-speed missiles crossing in the potential paths of any overflying aircraft. Also, alteast with any substantially sized rocket, the military is going to want to be appraised as well as not to mistake it for an attack, and more importantly...so they make sure OTHER military's know they are not being attacked. Unannounced missile/rocket launches tends to cause a spike in Cold War era alert systems Id imagine.

[rpayne88]

Atleast in North America, after you cross a certain height threshold you are passing into airspace that is monitored by the FAA, and they want to be made aware if there are going to be any high-speed missiles crossing in the potential paths of any overflying aircraft. Also, alteast with any substantially sized rocket, the military is going to want to be appraised as well as not to mistake it for an attack, and more importantly...so they make sure OTHER military's know they are not being attacked. Unannounced missile/rocket launches tends to cause a spike in Cold War era alert systems Id imagine.

Class A airspace extends from FL180 (18000ft MSL) to FL 600 (60000ft) per FAA regulations. It is also only found in the U.S. The OP is in Canada. I know that class A extends 12 miles our over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but I don't think U.S. FAA airspace extends 12 miles into Canadian airspace.

Sorry for the standard units. I'm a student pilot and I don't feel like converting to metric right now. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Wait, does Canada has a civil aviation body named the FAA, or does it go by another name (more than likely?)