51 U.S. Code § 51501 - Establishment of Office of Spaceports

(a) Establishment of Office.—

Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall identify, within the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, a centralized policy office to be known as the Office of Spaceports.

(b) Functions.—

The Office of Spaceports shall—

(1) support licensing activities for operation of launch and reentry sites;

(2) develop policies that promote infrastructure improvements at spaceports;

(3) provide technical assistance and guidance to spaceports;

(4) promote United States spaceports within the Department; and

(5) strengthen the Nation’s competitiveness in commercial space transportation infrastructure and increase resilience for the Federal Government and commercial customers.

(c) Recognition.—

In carrying out the functions assigned in subsection (b), the Secretary shall recognize the unique needs and distinctions of spaceports that host— [1]

(1) launches to or reentries from orbit; and

(2) are involved in suborbital launch activities.

(d) Director.—

The head of the Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation shall designate a Director of the Office of Spaceports.

(e) Definition.—

In this section the term “spaceport” means a launch or reentry site that is operated by an entity licensed by the Secretary of Transportation.

(Added Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title V, § 580(b)(1), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3395.)

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[1]  So in original. The dash probably should follow “that” and the word “host” probably should appear at the beginning of par. (1).

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (a), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 115–254, which was approved Oct. 5, 2018.