republic-os/legal/us/code/title-51/chapter-509/section-50904.md

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LegalText	51 U.S.C. § 50904	Restrictions on launches, operations, and reentries	us	united_states_code	code_section	51	NATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL SPACE PROGRAMS	509	COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH ACTIVITIES	50904	51 U.S.C. § 50904	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc51@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t51/s50904	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-51/usc51.xml	af276c3ffc9d4a20dea89edab47d1931e25f80c625de5cc59154284aad50a498	247760e048bc0c854023cd923eddd6011c857ad6958b62a813e0392121390bd5	27021b626715958bf8517234abca62e9d7512ce6d15bd3b4a7806596ce16e274	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

51 U.S.C. § 50904 - Restrictions on launches, operations, and reentries

Text

(a) Requirement.— A license issued or transferred under this chapter, or a permit, is required for the following:

(1) for a person to launch a launch vehicle or to operate a launch site or reentry site, or to reenter a reentry vehicle, in the United States.

(2) for a citizen of the United States (as defined in section 50902(1)(A) or (B) of this title) to launch a launch vehicle or to operate a launch site or reentry site, or to reenter a reentry vehicle, outside the United States.

(3) for a citizen of the United States (as defined in section 50902(1)(C) of this title) to launch a launch vehicle or to operate a launch site or reentry site, or to reenter a reentry vehicle, outside the United States and outside the territory of a foreign country unless there is an agreement between the United States Government and the government of the foreign country providing that the government of the foreign country has jurisdiction over the launch or operation or reentry.

(4) for a citizen of the United States (as defined in section 50902(1)(C) of this title) to launch a launch vehicle or to operate a launch site or reentry site, or to reenter a reentry vehicle, in the territory of a foreign country if there is an agreement between the United States Government and the government of the foreign country providing that the United States Government has jurisdiction over the launch or operation or reentry.

Notwithstanding this subsection, a permit shall not authorize a person to operate a launch site or reentry site.

(b) Compliance With Payload Requirements.— The holder of a license or permit under this chapter may launch or reenter a payload only if the payload complies with all requirements of the laws of the United States related to launching or reentering a payload.

(c) Preventing Launches and Reentries.— The Secretary of Transportation shall establish whether all required licenses, authorizations, and permits required for a payload have been obtained. If no license, authorization, or permit is required, the Secretary may prevent the launch or reentry if the Secretary decides the launch or reentry would jeopardize the public health and safety, safety of property, or national security or foreign policy interest of the United States.

(d) Single License or Permit.— The Secretary of Transportation shall ensure that only 1 license or permit is required from the Department of Transportation to conduct activities involving crew, government astronauts, or space flight participants, including launch and reentry, for which a license or permit is required under this chapter. The Secretary shall ensure that all Department of Transportation regulations relevant to the licensed or permitted activity are satisfied.

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1332, § 70104 of title 49; Pub. L. 105–303, title I, § 102(a)(5), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2847; Pub. L. 108–492, § 2(c)(3)–(5), Dec. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 3976; renumbered § 70104 then § 50904 of title 51 and amended Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(2), (3)(D), (5)(C)–(E), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3440, 3441; Pub. L. 114–90, title I, § 112(k), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 713.)

Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 70104(a)49 App.:2605(a).Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L. 98–575, § 6(a), (b), 98 Stat. 3057. 70104(b)49 App.:2605(b)(1) (1st sentence). 70104(c)49 App.:2605(b)(1) (last sentence), (2). In subsection (a)(2)–(4), the cross-reference is to section 70102(1) of the revised title (restating 49 App.:2603(12)) rather than to section 70102(11) (restating 49 App.:2603(11)) to correct a mistake. Section 3(2) of the Commercial Space Launch Act Amendments of 1988 (Public Law 100–657, 102 Stat. 3900) redesignated 49 App.:2603(11) as 49 App.:2603(12) but did not amend the cross-reference in 49 App.:2605(a). In subsection (a)(3) and (4), the words “the government of” are added for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. The words “in force” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (a)(3), the words “at any place which is both” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (a)(4), the text of 49 App.:2605(a)(3)(B)(i) is omitted as surplus. In subsection (c), the words “by Federal law”, “which is to be launched”, “by any Federal law”, “take such action under this chapter as the Secretary deems necessary to”, and “of a payload by a holder of a launch license under this chapter” are omitted as surplus.

Editorial Notes

Amendments2015—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 114–90 substituted “activities involving crew, government astronauts, or space flight participants” for “activities involving crew or space flight participants”. 2010—Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(2), (3)(D), successively renumbered section 70104 of title 49 and section 70104 of this title as this section. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(5)(C), substituted “section 50902(1)(A) or (B)” for “section 70102(1)(A) or (B)”. Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(5)(D), substituted “section 50902(1)(C)” for “section 70102(1)(C)”. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(5)(E), substituted “section 50902(1)(C)” for “section 70102(1)(C)”. 2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–492, § 2(c)(3), substituted “Requirement” for “License Requirement” in heading and “A license issued or transferred under this chapter, or a permit,” for “A license issued or transferred under this chapter” in introductory provisions and inserted concluding provisions. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–492, § 2(c)(4), inserted “or permit” after “holder of a license”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–492, § 2(c)(5), added subsec. (d). 1998—Pub. L. 105–303, § 102(a)(5)(A), substituted “Restrictions on launches, operations, and reentries” for “Restrictions on launches and operations” in section catchline. Subsec. (a)(1), (2). Pub. L. 105–303, § 102(a)(5)(B), inserted “or reentry site, or to reenter a reentry vehicle,” after “operate a launch site”. Subsec. (a)(3), (4). Pub. L. 105–303, § 102(a)(5)(B), (C), inserted “or reentry site, or to reenter a reentry vehicle,” after “operate a launch site” and “or reentry” after “launch or operation”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–303, § 102(a)(5)(D), struck out “launch” before “license” and inserted “or reenter” after “may launch” and “or reentering” after “related to launching”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–303, § 102(a)(5)(E), substituted “Preventing Launches and Reentries” for “Preventing Launches” in heading and inserted “or reentry” after “prevent the launch” and after “decides the launch” in second sentence.