Sec. 112. GOVERNMENT ASTRONAUTS

1,144 words·~5 min read·/statute-compilations/comps-15975/sec-112

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

## SEC. 112 GOVERNMENT ASTRONAUTS ###

(a)Findings and Purpose **[**[51 U.S.C. 50901](/us/usc/t51/s50901)**]** Section 50901(15) is amended by inserting “, government astronauts,” after “crew” each place it appears. ###

(b)Sense of Congress **[**[51 U.S.C. 20113 note](/us/usc/t51/s20113)**]** The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has a need to fly government astronauts (as defined in section 50902 of title 51, United States Code, as amended) within commercial launch vehicles and reentry vehicles under chapter 509 of that title. This need was identified by the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration due to the intended use of commercial launch vehicles and reentry vehicles developed under the Commercial Crew Development Program, authorized in section 402 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (124 Stat. 2820; Public Law 111-267). It is the sense of Congress that the authority delegated to the Administration by the amendment made by subsection

(d)of this section should be used for that purpose. ###

(c)Definition of Government Astronaut Section 50902 is amended— ####

(1)by redesignating paragraphs

(4)through

(22)as paragraphs

(7)through (25), respectively; and ####

(2)by inserting after paragraph

(3)the following: > > #### “(4) > > ‘government astronaut’ means an individual who— > > > ##### “(A) > > is designated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under section 20113(n); > > > ##### “(B) > > is carried within a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle in the course of his or her employment, which may include performance of activities directly relating to the launch, reentry, or other operation of the launch vehicle or reentry vehicle; and > > > ##### “(C) > > is either— > > > ###### “(i) > > an employee of the United States Government, including the uniformed services, engaged in the performance of a Federal function under authority of law or an Executive act; or > > > ###### “(ii) > > an international partner astronaut. > > > #### “(5) > > ‘international partner astronaut’ means an individual designated under Article 11 of the International Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement, by a partner to that agreement other than the United States, as qualified to serve as an International Space Station crew member. > > > #### “(6) > > ‘International Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement’ means the Agreement Concerning Cooperation on the International Space Station, signed at Washington January 29, 1998 (TIAS 12927).” > . ###

(d)Powers of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Performance of Functions **[**[51 U.S.C. 20113](/us/usc/t51/s20113)**]** Section 20113 is amended by adding at the end the following: > > ### “(n) Identification of Government Astronauts > > For purposes of a license issued or transferred by the Secretary of Transportation under chapter 509 to launch a launch vehicle or to reenter a reentry vehicle carrying a government astronaut (as defined in section 50902), the Administration shall designate a government astronaut in accordance with requirements prescribed by the Administration.” > . ###

(e)Definition of Launch **[**[51 U.S.C. 50902](/us/usc/t51/s50902)**]** Paragraph

(7)of section 50902, as redesignated, is amended by striking “and any payload, crew, or space flight participant” and inserting “and any payload or human being”. ###

(f)Definition of Launch Services Paragraph

(9)of section 50902, as redesignated, is amended by striking “payload, crew (including crew training), or space flight participant” and inserting “payload, crew (including crew training), government astronaut, or space flight participant”. ###

(g)Definition of Reenter and Reentry Paragraph

(16)of section 50902, as redesignated, is amended by striking “and its payload, crew, or space flight participants, if any,” and inserting “and its payload or human beings, if any,”. ###

(h)Definition of Reentry Services **[**[51 U.S.C. 50902](/us/usc/t51/s50902)**]** Paragraph

(17)of section 50902, as redesignated, is amended by striking “payload, crew (including crew training), or space flight participant, if any,” and inserting “payload, crew (including crew training), government astronaut, or space flight participant, if any,”. ###

(i)Definition of Space Flight Participant Paragraph

(20)of section 50902, as redesignated, is amended to read as follows: > > #### “(20) > > ‘space flight participant’ means an individual, who is not crew or a government astronaut, carried within a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle.” > . ###

(j)Definition of Third Party Paragraph (24)(E) of section 50902, as redesignated, is amended by inserting “, government astronauts,” after “crew”. ###

(k)Restrictions on Launches, Operations, and Reentries; Single License or Permit **[**[51 U.S.C. 50904](/us/usc/t51/s50904)**]** Section 50904(d) is amended by striking “activities involving crew or space flight participants” and inserting “activities involving crew, government astronauts, or space flight participants”. ###

(l)License Applications and Requirements; Applications **[**[51 U.S.C. 50905](/us/usc/t51/s50905)**]** Section 50905 is amended— ####

(1)in subsection (a)(2), by striking “crews and space flight participants” and inserting “crew, government astronauts, and space flight participants”; ####

(2)in subsection (b)(2)(D), by striking “crew or space flight participants” and inserting “crew, government astronauts, or space flight participants”; and ####

(3)in subsection (c)— #####

(A)in paragraph (1), by striking “crew and space flight participants” and inserting “crew, government astronauts, and space flight participants”; and #####

(B)in paragraph (2), by striking “to crew or space flight participants” each place it appears and inserting “to crew, government astronauts, or space flight participants”. ###

(m)Monitoring Activities **[**[51 U.S.C. 50907](/us/usc/t51/s50907)**]** Section 50907(a) is amended by striking “at a site used for crew or space flight participant training” and inserting “at a site not owned or operated by the Federal Government or a foreign government used for crew, government astronaut, or space flight participant training”. ###

(n)Additional Suspensions **[**[51 U.S.C. 50908](/us/usc/t51/s50908)**]** Section 50908(d)(1) is amended by striking “to crew or space flight participants” each place it appears and inserting “to any human being”. ###

(o)Relationship to Other Executive Agencies, Laws, and International Obligations; Nonapplication **[**[51 U.S.C. 50919](/us/usc/t51/s50919)**]** Section 50919(g) is amended to read as follows: > > ### “(g) Nonapplication > > > #### “(1) In General > > This chapter does not apply to— > > > ##### “(A) > > a launch, reentry, operation of a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle, operation of a launch site or reentry site, or other space activity the Government carries out for the Government; or > > > ##### “(B) > > planning or policies related to the launch, reentry, operation, or activity under subparagraph (A). > > > #### “(2) Rule of construction > > The following activities are not space activities the Government carries out for the Government under paragraph (1): > > > ##### “(A) > > A government astronaut being carried within a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle under this chapter. > > > ##### “(B) > > A government astronaut performing activities directly relating to the launch, reentry, or other operation of the launch vehicle or reentry vehicle under this chapter.” > .

Connectionstraces to 8

Traces to 8 documents

U.S. Code