51 U.S.C. § 50911: Space advertising

Summary

The Secretary cannot approve, transfer, or waive a launch license for any payload that carries material meant for obtrusive space advertising. Anyone who has a launch license cannot launch a payload with that kind of advertising. Nonobtrusive commercial space advertising is allowed, for example on commercial spacecraft, infrastructure payloads, launch facilities, and launch support facilities.

Title 51, §50911

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

(a)Licensing.—

Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or any other provision of law, the Secretary may not, for the launch of a payload containing any material to be used for the purposes of obtrusive space advertising—

(1)issue or transfer a license under this chapter; or

(2)waive the license requirements of this chapter.

(b)Launching.—

No holder of a license under this chapter may launch a payload containing any material to be used for purposes of obtrusive space advertising.

(c)Commercial Space Advertising.—

Nothing in this section shall apply to nonobtrusive commercial space advertising, including advertising on—

(1)commercial space transportation vehicles;

(2)space infrastructure payloads;

(3)space launch facilities; and

(4)launch support facilities.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2010—Pub. L. 111–314 successively renumbered section 70109a of title 49 and section 70109a of this title as this section.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Negotiation With Foreign Launching Nations Pub. L. 106–391, title III, § 322(c), Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1598, provided that: “(1) The President is requested to negotiate with foreign launching nations for the purpose of reaching one or more agreements that prohibit the use of outer space for obtrusive space advertising purposes. “(2) It is the sense of the Congress that the President should take such action as is appropriate and feasible to enforce the terms of any agreement to prohibit the use of outer space for obtrusive space advertising purposes. “(3) As used in this subsection, the term ‘foreign launching nation’ means a nation—“(A) that launches, or procures the launching of, a payload into outer space; or “(B) from the territory or facility of which a payload is launched into outer space.”

§50911 Space Advertising