What US Commercial Space Launch Act (51 USC ch 509): Launch Licensing, Insurance and Liability requires
The Commercial Space Launch Act (51 U.S.C. ch. 509) governs the licensing and regulation of commercial space launches, reentries and launch and reentry sites in the United States, administered by the Federal Aviation Administration through its Office of Commercial Space Transportation. Section 50901 sets the findings and purposes, including promoting a competitive private launch industry while protecting public health and safety, safety of property, and national security. Section 50902 supplies the definitions, and section 50903 sets the general authority of the Secretary of Transportation. Section 50904 restricts the launch of a launch vehicle, the operation of a launch or reentry site, and a reentry, requiring a license or permit unless an exception applies. Section 50905 sets the license applications and requirements, and section 50906 provides for experimental permits for reusable suborbital rockets. Section 50908 governs the effective periods, modification, suspension and revocation of licenses, and section 50907 provides for monitoring of licensed activities. Section 50914 imposes the liability insurance and financial responsibility requirements: a licensee must obtain insurance or demonstrate financial responsibility to cover claims by third parties and the US Government up to the maximum probable loss, and the section provides for the allocation and cross-waiver of liability. Section 50917 provides for enforcement and penalties. The Act is the legal foundation of US commercial spaceflight licensing and the launch-liability regime.
Pillar: Space & Satellite Law · Authority: US Congress / Federal Aviation Administration (Office of Commercial Space Transportation) · Version: 1.0.0 · Last updated:
Primary source: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2022-title51/html/USCODE-2022-title51-chap509.htm
SHA-256 integrity: 3743c60aa6e70f2d56a9415289c2c25b468a5df0545547a0166993c65d5f9de3
Primary Citations — 8 traced to source
- Commercial Space Launch Act, 51 U.S.C. 50901 - findings and purposes.
- Commercial Space Launch Act, 51 U.S.C. 50902 - definitions.
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