Safety & range operations.
Safety is the foundational pillar of the ESSS Amateur Rocketry Program. The guidelines outlined here are non-negotiable and must be strictly followed by all certified members, clubs, and facilitators to protect participants, the public, and our shared airspace.
The National Safety Code
Version 2026.1 — effective January 2026. Maintained by the NRC Safety Subcommittee.
Clearances & Airspace
All non-water rocket launches require designated safe zones with minimum clearance radii determined by motor impulse class. High-altitude launches must be aligned with Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) regulations and pre-authorized through the ESSS-ARP event-clearance workflow.
Facilitator Presence
Combustion-based launches (Level B and above) must be directly supervised by an ESSS-certified Range Safety Officer (RSO) or Prefect with active credentials. Spectator distance is calculated from total impulse and announced before countdown.
Propellant Handling
Strict protocols govern the transportation, handling, and secure storage of approved motors and propellants. Motors must remain in factory packaging until immediately prior to assembly; reloads are prepared only at the range and only by an RSO-supervised certified member.
Recovery & Misfire
Every flight must have a verified recovery system. In the event of a misfire, a mandatory cool-down period is enforced before approach. CATO, ballistic return, or unintended trajectory triggers a range freeze and incident report.
RSO & Facilitator Toolkit
Download the official forms and checklists required to run an ESSS-sanctioned launch event.
Report a safety incident
In the event of a CATO (Catastrophe at Take Off), unexpected ballistic return, property damage, or injury, an incident report must be filed with the NRC within 24 hours. Reports route through a secure encrypted channel direct to the NRC Safety Coordinator.