Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73
§18383 In-space servicing
Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 159— - SPACE EXPLORATION, TECHNOLOGY, AND SCIENCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER VII— - SPACE SCIENCE › § 18383
Summary
The Administrator must ensure future observatory-class spacecraft sent to Earth orbit or a Lagrangian point can be serviced or repaired in space when practicable. Agency plans for space technology, robotics, and human spaceflight should include those service-and-repair capabilities.
Full Legal Text
Title 42, §18383
The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
The Administrator shall continue to take all necessary steps to ensure that provisions are made for in-space or human servicing and repair of all future observatory-class scientific spacecraft intended to be deployed in Earth-orbit or at a Lagrangian point to the extent practicable and appropriate. The Administrator should ensure that agency investments and future capabilities for space technology, robotics, and human space flight take the ability to service and repair these spacecraft into account, where appropriate, and incorporate such capabilities into design and operational plans.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 18383
Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73