Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984 is a United States federal law authored to facilitate the private enterprise of the commercialization of space and space technology. The Act of Congress set forth the quest to acquire innovative equipment and services offered by entrepreneurial ventures from the information technology services, remote sensing technology, and telecommunications industries. The Act recognized the United States private sector as having the capability to develop commercial launch vehicles, orbital satellites, and operate private launch sites and services. The Act also assigned the duties of overseeing and coordinating commercial launches, issuing of licenses and permits, and promotion of safety standards to the Secretary of Department of Transportation.
The H.R. 3942 legislation was enacted by the 98th Congressional session and signed by President Ronald Reagan on October 30, 1984.
History In the 1970s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) began to look for ways to outsource the use of its launching facilities and services to private companies such as COMSAT, RCA, and Western Union.McLucas, John L. Space Commerce. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1991. Page 89. This search was because maintaining, modifying, launching, and other duties required to launch expendable launch vehicles cost upwards of billions of dollars. Once the space shuttle became operational, NASA and the United States Air Force (USAF) began using it almost exclusively. In order to accommodate the heavy weight of the space shuttle launch system, the USAF spent billions of dollars modifying one launch pad in Vandenberg Air Force Base. However, it was never used.McLucas, John L. Space Commerce. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1991. Page 91.
Provisions of the Act Title 51 United States Code Subtitle V and Chapter 509 was compiled as twenty-three code of law sections to vitalize commercial opportunities and space launch services for the civilian space program of the United States.
51 U.S.C. § 50901 - Findings and purposes 51 U.S.C. § 50902 - Definitions 51 U.S.C. § 50903 - General authority 51 U.S.C. § 50904 - Restrictions on launches, operations, and reentries 51 U.S.C. § 50905 - License applications and requirements 51 U.S.C. § 50906 - Experimental permits 51 U.S.C. § 50907 - Monitoring activities 51 U.S.C. § 50908 - Effective periods, and modifications, suspensions, and revocations, of licenses 51 U.S.C. § 50909 - Prohibition, suspension, and end of launches, operation of launch sites and reentry sites, and reentries 51 U.S.C. § 50910 - Preemption of scheduled launches or reentries 51 U.S.C. § 50911 - Space advertising 51 U.S.C. § 50912 - Administrative hearings and judicial review 51 U.S.C. § 50913 - Acquiring United States Government property and services 51 U.S.C. § 50914 - Liability insurance and financial responsibility requirements 51 U.S.C. § 50915 - Paying claims exceeding liability insurance and financial responsibility requirements 51 U.S.C. § 50916 - Disclosing information 51 U.S.C. § 50917 - Enforcement and penalty 51 U.S.C. § 50918 - Consultation 51 U.S.C. § 50919 - Relationship to other executive agencies, laws, and international obligations 51 U.S.C. § 50920 - User fees 51 U.S.C. § 50921 - Office of Commercial Space Transportation 51 U.S.C. § 50922 - Regulations 51 U.S.C. § 50923 - Report to Congress
Amendments to 1984 Act Chronological amendments to the Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984. Date of EnactmentPublic Law NumberU.S. Statute CitationU.S. Legislative BillU.S. Presidential AdministrationNovember 15, 1988P.L. 100-657Ronald W. ReaganDecember 23, 2004P.L. 108-492George W. Bush
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