§1484a Articles Returned From Space Not to Be Construed as Importation

Summary

Articles coming back from space are not treated as imports and do not need a customs entry when three things are true. First, they were launched from the U.S. customs area on a spacecraft run or controlled by U.S. persons and owned entirely or mostly by U.S. persons or by the United States. Second, they stayed in space only on that spacecraft or on another spacecraft that also met those U.S.-ownership and control rules. Third, they returned directly to the U.S. customs area on such a spacecraft. It does not matter if the items were changed, improved, or increased in value while in space.