Aurora co-authors landmark space industry environmental guidance published by ISEP

This week sees the publication of Industry Good Practice Guidance for the Assessment of Environmental Effects, for the developing UK space industry, co-authored by Ruth Fain of Aurora Environmental Consulting Limited. This guidance is published by The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP, previously IEMA).

The guidance marks a major milestone for the UK space industry’s regulatory practices, and will support the preparation, review and updating of robust Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE’s). An AEE is a mandatory requirement for any application for a Spaceport or Small Launch Vehicle operator licence under the Space Industry Act (SIA) 2018. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) cannot grant either licence without considering the AEE.

An AEE must consider the potential environmental effects from space operations on population and human health, biodiversity, air quality, water, noise and vibration, the marine environment, climate, land, soils and peat, landscape and visual impact and material assets (cultural heritage), and if necessary, take (or identify) proportionate steps to avoid, mitigate or offset any such effects.

As co-founder and co-author of this guidance, Ruth has drawn upon her experience of preparing several of the UK’s first ever AEEs, including those of SaxaVord Spaceport, Rocket Factory Augsburg and Skyrora Limited; all of which have now received licences. Alongside other industry experts and environmental practitioners with direct, relevant experience in this field, the guidance provides additional insight into suggested methodologies and good practice and supplements the CAA statutory guidance issued in 2021 (CAP2215) which outlined the scope and requirements of an AEE. Its aim is to help applicants provide the CAA with more robust and complete AEEs first time – benefiting the applicants and the space industry.

As the UK space industry grows and AEE submissions increase, there will be a need for greater efficiency, transparency and proportionality in how AEEs are prepared, and Aurora is proud to be leading the development of regulatory guidelines and helping position the UK as a global beacon for a sustainable space industry.

To read more and download the guidance, please visit the ISEP website here.