51 U.S.C. § 50911

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

Section 50911 - Space advertising

(a) LICENSING.-Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or any other provision of law, the Secretary may not, for the launch of a payload containing any material to be used for the purposes of obtrusive space advertising-

(1) issue or transfer a license under this chapter; or

(2) waive the license requirements of this chapter.

(b) LAUNCHING.-No holder of a license under this chapter may launch a payload containing any material to be used for purposes of obtrusive space advertising.

(c) COMMERCIAL SPACE ADVERTISING.-Nothing in this section shall apply to nonobtrusive commercial space advertising, including advertising on-

(1) commercial space transportation vehicles;

(2) space infrastructure payloads;

(3) space launch facilities; and

(4) launch support facilities.

51 U.S.C. § 50911

Added Pub. L. 106-391, title III, §322(b), Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1598, §70109a of title 49; renumbered §70109a then §50911 of title 51, Pub. L. 111-314, §4(d)(2), (3)(K), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3440, 3441.

EDITORIAL NOTES

AMENDMENTS2010-Pub. L. 111-314 successively renumbered section 70109a of title 49 and section 70109a of this title as this section.

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

NEGOTIATION WITH FOREIGN LAUNCHING NATIONS Pub. L. 106-391, title III, §322(c), Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1598, provided that:"(1) The President is requested to negotiate with foreign launching nations for the purpose of reaching one or more agreements that prohibit the use of outer space for obtrusive space advertising purposes."(2) It is the sense of the Congress that the President should take such action as is appropriate and feasible to enforce the terms of any agreement to prohibit the use of outer space for obtrusive space advertising purposes."(3) As used in this subsection, the term 'foreign launching nation' means a nation- "(A) that launches, or procures the launching of, a payload into outer space; or"(B) from the territory or facility of which a payload is launched into outer space."

launch: "launch" means to place or try to place a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle and any payload or human being from Earth-(A) in a suborbital trajectory;(B) in Earth orbit in outer space; or(C) otherwise in outer space,including activities involved in the preparation of a launch vehicle or payload for launch, when those activities take place at a launch site in the United States.
obtrusive space advertising: "obtrusive space advertising" means advertising in outer space that is capable of being recognized by a human being on the surface of the Earth without the aid of a telescope or other technological device.
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.