Title 51 — National and Commercial Space ProgramsRelease 119-73
§30703 Foreign launch vehicles
Title 51 › Subtitle Subtitle III— - Administrative Provisions › Chapter CHAPTER 307— - INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND COMPETITION › § 30703
Summary
No launch on a foreign launch vehicle allowed unless it follows the Space Transportation Policy announced Dec. 21, 2004; the President may waive. Interagency review starts 90 days before development contract; payloads with development started before Dec. 30, 2005, including James Webb Space Telescope, exempt.
Full Legal Text
Title 51, §30703
National and Commercial Space Programs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The Administration shall not launch a payload on a foreign launch vehicle except in accordance with the Space Transportation Policy announced by the President on December 21, 2004. This subsection shall not be construed to prevent the President from waiving the Space Transportation Policy.
(b)The Administration shall not launch a payload on a foreign launch vehicle unless the Administration commenced the interagency coordination required by the Space Transportation Policy announced by the President on December 21, 2004, at least 90 days before entering into a development contract for the payload.
(c)This section shall not apply to any payload for which development has begun prior to December 30, 2005, including the James Webb Space Telescope.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3070342 U.S.C. 16614.Pub. L. 109–155, title I, § 105, Dec. 30, 2005, 119 Stat. 2912. In subsection (c), the date “December 30, 2005” is substituted for “the date of enactment of this Act” to reflect the date of enactment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005 (Public Law 109–155, 119 Stat. 2895).
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
51 U.S.C. § 30703
Title 51 — National and Commercial Space Programs
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73