republic-os/legal/us/code/title-51/chapter-509/section-50922.md

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LegalText	51 U.S.C. § 50922	Regulations	us	united_states_code	code_section	51	NATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL SPACE PROGRAMS	509	COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH ACTIVITIES	50922	51 U.S.C. § 50922	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/s50922	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-51/usc51.xml	23c3750d58ad02267a37879b373929a1a2390757b76f38615037a5728ed8ea51	247760e048bc0c854023cd923eddd6011c857ad6958b62a813e0392121390bd5	337d2614dfdeb57af1f0365130f8e902d310c77ef8ef7fc179b09250e21d23d3	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

51 U.S.C. § 50922 - Regulations

Text

(a) In General.— The Secretary of Transportation, within 9 months after the date of the enactment of this section, shall issue regulations to carry out this chapter that include—

(1) guidelines for industry and State governments to obtain sufficient insurance coverage for potential damages to third parties;

(2) procedures for requesting and obtaining licenses to launch a commercial launch vehicle;

(3) procedures for requesting and obtaining operator licenses for launch;

(4) procedures for requesting and obtaining launch site operator licenses; and

(5) procedures for the application of government indemnification.

(b) Reentry.— The Secretary of Transportation, within 6 months after the date of the enactment of this section, shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to carry out this chapter that includes—

(1) procedures for requesting and obtaining licenses to reenter a reentry vehicle;

(2) procedures for requesting and obtaining operator licenses for reentry; and

(3) procedures for requesting and obtaining reentry site operator licenses.

(c) Amendments.— (1) Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, the Secretary shall publish proposed regulations to carry out that Act, including regulations relating to crew, space flight participants, and permits for launch or reentry of reusable suborbital rockets. Not later than 18 months after such date of enactment, the Secretary shall issue final regulations.

(2) (A) Starting 3 years after the date of enactment of the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, the Secretary may issue final regulations changing the definition of suborbital rocket under this chapter. No such regulation may take effect until 180 days after the Secretary has submitted the regulation to the Congress.

(B) The Secretary may issue regulations under this paragraph only if the Secretary has determined that the definition in section 50902 does not describe, or will not continue to describe, all appropriate vehicles and only those vehicles. In making that determination, the Secretary shall take into account the evolving nature of the commercial space launch industry.

(d) Effective Date.— (1) Licenses for the launch or reentry of launch vehicles or reentry vehicles with human beings on board and permits may be issued by the Secretary prior to the issuance of the regulations described in subsection (c).

(2) As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, the Secretary shall issue guidelines or advisory circulars to guide the implementation of that Act until regulations are issued.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), no licenses for the launch or reentry of launch vehicles or reentry vehicles with human beings on board or permits may be issued starting three years after the date of enactment of the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004 unless the final regulations described in subsection (c) have been issued.

(Added Pub. L. 105–303, title I, § 102(a)(16), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2850, § 70120 of title 49; amended Pub. L. 108–492, § 2(c)(25), Dec. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 3981; renumbered § 70120 then § 50922 of title 51 and amended Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(2), (3)(V), (5)(U), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3440–3442.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

References in TextThe date of the enactment of this section, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 105–303, which was approved Oct. 28, 1998. The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, referred to in subsecs. (c) and (d), is Pub. L. 108–492, Dec. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 3974, which was approved Dec. 23, 2004. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 2004 Act note set out under section 10101 of this title and Tables.

Amendments2010—Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(2), (3)(V), successively renumbered section 70120 of title 49 and section 70120 of this title as this section. Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(5)(U), substituted “section 50902” for “section 70102”. 2004—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 108–492 added subsecs. (c) and (d).