republic-os/legal/us/code/title-42/chapter-159/section-18311.md

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LegalText	42 U.S.C. § 18311	United States human space flight policy	us	united_states_code	code_section	42	THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE	159	SPACE EXPLORATION, TECHNOLOGY, AND SCIENCE	18311	42 U.S.C. § 18311	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t42/s18311	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml	63cb8c3145d22562177bb868ddf4da126b77ba0e16249619f813103204e9e60e	644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e	cac74f1ab6f461179ac9889ef618b5ce38e023c6cf4f810e74dc443bd137875b	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

42 U.S.C. § 18311 - United States human space flight policy

Text

(a) Use of non-United States human space flight transportation services (1) In general The Federal Government may not acquire human space flight transportation services from a foreign entity unless—

(A) no United States Government-operated human space flight capability is available;

(B) no United States commercial provider is available; and

(C) it is a qualified foreign entity.

(2) Definitions In this subsection:

(A) Commercial provider The term “commercial provider” means any person providing human space flight transportation services, primary control of which is held by persons other than the Federal Government, a State or local government, or a foreign government.

(B) Qualified foreign entity The term “qualified foreign entity” means a foreign entity that is in compliance with all applicable safety standards and is not prohibited from providing space transportation services under other law.

(C) United States commercial provider The term “United States commercial provider” means a commercial provider, organized under the laws of the United States or of a State, that is more than 50 percent owned by United States nationals.

(3) Arrangements with foreign entities Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the Administrator from negotiating or entering into human space flight transportation arrangements with foreign entities to ensure safety of flight and continued ISS operations.

(b) United States human space flight capabilities Congress reaffirms the policy stated in section 70501(a) of title 51, that the United States shall maintain an uninterrupted capability for human space flight and operations in low-Earth orbit, and beyond, as an essential instrument of national security and of the capacity to ensure continued United States participation and leadership in the exploration and utilization of space.

(Pub. L. 111–267, title II, § 201, Oct. 11, 2010, 124 Stat. 2811; Pub. L. 115–10, title III, § 302(d), Mar. 21, 2017, 131 Stat. 25.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

Codification In subsec. (b), “section 70501(a) of title 51” substituted for “section 501(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16761(a))” on authority of Pub. L. 111–314, § 5(e), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3443, which Act enacted Title 51, National and Commercial Space Programs.

Amendments2017—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–10 amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “It is the policy of the United States that reliance upon and use of non-United States human space flight capabilities shall be undertaken only as a contingency in circumstances where no United States-owned and operated human space flight capability is available, operational, and certified for flight by appropriate Federal agencies.”