51 U.S.C. § 50907

Current through P.L. 118-106 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/04/2024)

Section 50907 - Monitoring activities

(a) GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.-A licensee under this chapter must allow the Secretary of Transportation to place an officer or employee of the United States Government or another individual as an observer at a launch site or reentry site the licensee uses, at a production facility or assembly site a contractor of the licensee uses to produce or assemble a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle, 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, or at a site at which a payload is integrated with a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle. The observer will monitor the activity of the licensee or contractor at the time and to the extent the Secretary considers reasonable to ensure compliance with the license or to carry out the duties of the Secretary under sections 50904(c), 50905, and 50906 of this title. A licensee must cooperate with an observer carrying out this subsection.

(b) CONTRACTS.-To the extent provided in advance in an appropriation law, the Secretary may make a contract with a person to carry out subsection (a) of this section.

51 U.S.C. § 50907

Pub. L. 103-272, §1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1334, §70106 of title 49; Pub. L. 105-303, title I, §102(a)(7), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2848; Pub. L. 108-492, §2(c)(17), Dec. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 3980; renumbered §70106 then §50907 of title 51 and amended Pub. L. 111-314, §4(d)(2), (3)(G), (5)(I), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3440-3442; Pub. L. 114-90, title I, §112(m), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 713.

HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES
Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
70106(a)	49 App.:2613(a).	Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L. 98-575, §14, 98 Stat. 3060.
70106(b)	49 App.:2613(b).

In subsection (a), the word "duties" is substituted for "responsibilities" for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code.

EDITORIAL NOTES

AMENDMENTS2015-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114-90 substituted "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" for "at a site used for crew or space flight participant training".2010-Pub. L. 111-314, §4(d)(2), (3)(G), successively renumbered section 70106 of title 49 and section 70106 of this title as this section.Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111-314, §4(d)(5)(I), substituted "sections 50904(c), 50905, and 50906" for "sections 70104(c), 70105, and 70105a". 2004-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108-492 inserted "at a site used for crew or space flight participant training," after "assemble a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle," and substituted "sections 70104(c), 70105, and 70105a" for "section 70104(c)".1998-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105-303, in first sentence, inserted "or reentry site" after "observer at a launch site" and "or reentry vehicle" after "assemble a launch vehicle" and after "with a launch vehicle".

United States: "United States" means the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the territories and possessions of the United States.
crew: "crew" means any employee of a licensee or transferee, or of a contractor or subcontractor of a licensee or transferee, who performs activities in the course of that employment directly relating to the launch, reentry, or other operation of or in a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle that carries human beings.
government astronaut: "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.
launch site: "launch site" means the location on Earth from which a launch takes place (as defined in a license the Secretary issues or transfers under this chapter) and necessary facilities at that location.
launch vehicle: "launch vehicle" means-(A) a vehicle built to operate in, or place a payload or human beings in, outer space; and(B) a suborbital rocket.
payload: "payload" means an object that a person undertakes to place in outer space by means of a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle, including components of the vehicle specifically designed or adapted for that object.
person: "person" means an individual and an entity organized or existing under the laws of a State or country.
reentry site: "reentry site" means the location on Earth to which a reentry vehicle is intended to return (as defined in a license the Secretary issues or transfers under this chapter).
reentry vehicle: "reentry vehicle" means a vehicle designed to return from Earth orbit or outer space to Earth, or a reusable launch vehicle designed to return from Earth orbit or outer space to Earth, substantially intact.
space flight participant: "space flight participant" means an individual, who is not crew or a government astronaut, carried within a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle.