[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 14, Volume 4] [Revised as of January 1, 2008] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 14CFR417.129] [Page 566] TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE CHAPTER III--COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION, FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PART 417_LAUNCH SAFETY--Table of Contents Subpart B_Launch Safety Responsibilities Sec. 417.129 Safety at end of launch. A launch operator must ensure for any proposed launch that for all launch vehicle stages or components that reach Earth orbit-- (a) There is no unplanned physical contact between the vehicle or any of its components and the payload after payload separation; (b) Debris generation does not result from the conversion of energy sources into energy that fragments the vehicle or its components. Energy sources include chemical, pressure, and kinetic energy; and (c) Stored energy is removed by depleting residual fuel and leaving all fuel line valves open, venting any pressurized system, leaving all batteries in a permanent discharge state, and removing any remaining source of stored energy.