§50501 — Title 51 National and Commercial Space Programs | U.S. Code

Summary

Defines key words used in this chapter. An agency is an executive agency as defined in section 105 of title 5. Anchor tenancy is when the U.S. agrees to buy enough of a commercial space product or service to make a private business viable. Commercial means private money is at risk and private companies hold the main financial and management responsibility. Cost effective means it costs no more than other options after comparing all direct and indirect costs (including government labor and overhead and contractor charges) and how well each option meets mission needs and factors like risk, reliability, schedule, and technical performance. Launch means to place or try to place a launch vehicle and its payload into a suborbital path, Earth orbit, or outer space. Launch services are work to ready and carry out a launch. Launch support facilities are site facilities that help with assembly, control, communications, safety, and payload work. A launch vehicle is any vehicle built to operate in or place payloads into suborbital paths or space, including its parts. A payload is an object someone agrees to launch, including vehicle parts made for it. Payload integration services are work to combine payloads or attach them to a launch vehicle. Space recovery support facilities help bring payloads back from space, covering operations, control, communications, safety, and processing. Space transportation infrastructure means the buildings, equipment, and property needed for launches or recoveries, like launch and recovery sites. State includes the several States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other U.S. commonwealth, territory, or possession. United States means the States, collectively.

Title 51, §50501

National and Commercial Space Programs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this chapter:

(1)The term “agency” means an executive agency as defined in section 105 of title 5.

(2)The term “anchor tenancy” means an arrangement in which the United States Government agrees to procure sufficient quantities of a commercial space product or service needed to meet Government mission requirements so that a commercial venture is made viable.

(3)The term “commercial” means having—

(A)private capital at risk; and

(B)primary financial and management responsibility for the activity reside with the private sector.

(4)The term “cost effective” means costing no more than the available alternatives, determined by a comparison of all related direct and indirect costs including, in the case of Government costs, applicable Government labor and overhead costs as well as contractor charges, and taking into account the ability of each alternative to accommodate mission requirements as well as the related factors of risk, reliability, schedule, and technical performance.

(5)The term “launch” means to place, or attempt to place, a launch vehicle and its payload, if any, in a suborbital trajectory, in Earth orbit in outer space, or otherwise in outer space.

(6)The term “launch services” means activities involved in the preparation of a launch vehicle and its payload for launch and the conduct of a launch.

(7)The term “launch support facilities” means facilities located at launch sites or launch ranges that are required to support launch activities, including launch vehicle assembly, launch vehicle operations and control, communications, flight safety functions, and payload operations, control, and processing.

(8)The term “launch vehicle” means any vehicle constructed for the purpose of operating in or placing a payload in outer space or in suborbital trajectories, and includes components of that vehicle.

(9)The term “payload” means an object which a person undertakes to launch, and includes subcomponents of the launch vehicle specifically designed or adapted for that object.

(10)The term “payload integration services” means activities involved in integrating multiple payloads into a single payload for launch or integrating a payload with a launch vehicle.

(11)The term “space recovery support facilities” means facilities required to support activities related to the recovery of payloads returned from space to a space recovery site, including operations and control, communications, flight safety functions, and payload processing.

(12)The term “space transportation infrastructure” means facilities, associated equipment, and real property (including launch sites, launch support facilities, space recovery sites, and space recovery support facilities) required to perform launch or space recovery activities.

(13)The term “State” means the several States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

(14)The term “United States” means the States, collectively.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 5050115 U.S.C. 5802.Pub. L. 102–588, title V, § 502, Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5123.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Findings Pub. L. 102–588, title V, § 501, Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5122, provided that: “The Congress finds that— “(1) commercial activities of the private sector have substantially contributed to the strength of both the United States space program and the national economy; “(2) a robust United States space transportation capability remains a vital cornerstone of the United States space program; “(3) the availability of commercial launch services is essential for the continued growth of the United States commercial space sector; “(4) a timely extension of the excess third party claims payment provisions of the Commercial Space Launch Act [now 51 U.S.C. 50901 et seq.] is appropriate and necessary to enable the private sector to continue covering maximum probable liability risks while protecting the private sector from uninsurable levels of liability which could hinder international competitiveness; “(5) a program to demonstrate how recipients of Federal grants can purchase launch services directly from the private sector has the potential to improve the capabilities of the United States commercial launch industry; “(6) improvements and additions to the Nation’s space transportation infrastructure contribute to a robust and cost effective space transportation capability for both public sector and private sector users; “(7) private sector use of available Government facilities on a reimbursable basis contributes to a stronger commercial space sector; “(8) the Federal Government should purchase space goods and services which are commercially available, or could be made available commercially in response to a Government procurement request, whenever such goods or services meet Government mission requirements in a cost effective manner; “(9) it is appropriate for the Government to act as an anchor tenant for commercial space development projects which have a reasonable potential to develop non-Federal markets and which meet Federal needs in a cost effective manner; and “(10) the provision of compensation to commercial providers of space goods and services for termination of contracts at the convenience of the Government assists in enabling the private sector to invest in space activities which are initially dependent on Government purchases.” [For definition of terms used in section 501 of Pub. L. 102–588, set out above, see section 502 of Pub. L. 102–588, title V, Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5123, which was classified to former section 5802 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and was repealed and reenacted as this section by Pub. L. 111–314, §§ 3, 6, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3328, 3444.]

§50501 Definitions

Summary

Title 51, §50501

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Citations & Metadata