Regulation 23 Rights of access to information and records

(1)

Where the spaceflight accident occurs in or over the United Kingdom, the investigator-in-charge is entitled, notwithstanding any confidentiality obligations to which any person is subject, to—

(a)

immediate and unrestricted access to the site of the spaceflight accident as well as to the launch vehicle, its contents or its wreckage;

(b)

carry out an immediate listing of evidence and controlled removal of debris or components for examination or analysis purposes;

(c)

immediate access to and control over—

(i)

any equipment which has recorded data relating to the launch vehicle;

(ii)

any data recorded during the spaceflight activities in relation to the launch vehicle;

(d)

be provided with—

(i)

results of autopsy examinations of the bodies of any fatally injured individuals and tests made from samples taken from those bodies;

(ii)

results of medical examinations of the individuals involved in the operation of the launch vehicle or tests carried out on samples taken from those individuals;

(e)

access on request to any relevant information or records held by a person involved.

(2)

Where the spaceflight accident occurs outside the United Kingdom in the territory of another state and a safety investigation is being carried out under regulation 16, the investigator-in-charge may request permission from the relevant authorities in the state concerned—

(a)

to have the access referred to in paragraph (1)(a), (c) and (e), and

(b)

to be provided with the information referred to in paragraph (1)(b) and (d).