Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984
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| Long title | An Act to facilitate commercial space launches, and for other purposes. |
|---|---|
| Acronyms (colloquial) | CSLA, ELVCA |
| Nicknames | Expendable Launch Vehicle Commercialization Act |
| Enacted by | the 98th United States Congress |
| Effective | October 30, 1984 |
| Citations | |
| Public law | 98-575 |
| Statutes at Large | 98 Stat. 3055 |
| Codification | |
| Titles amended | 51 U.S.C.: National and Commercial Space Programs |
| U.S.C. sections created | 51 U.S.C. § 50901 et seq. |
| Legislative history | |
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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.[1]
The H.R. 3942 legislation was enacted by the 98th Congressional session and signed by the 40th President of the United States Ronald Reagan on October 30, 1984.[2]
Contents
History
In the 1970s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 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.[3] This search was due to the fact that 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 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.[4] Upon realizing the economic benefits of utilizing private space companies, the House Science and Technologies Commission proposed H.R. 3942 which eventually became Public Law 98-575, or the Commercial Space Act of 1984.
Commercial Aerospace Enterprises
- Orbital Sciences Corporation
- Scaled Composites
- Sierra Nevada Corporation
- Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
- Virgin Galactic
- XCOR Aerospace
Commercial Spaceports
- Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark
- Kodiak Launch Complex
- Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
- Mojave Air and Space Port
- Spaceport America
- SpaceX autonomous spaceport drone ship
Amendments to 1984 Act
Chronological amendments to the Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984.
| Date of Enactment | Public Law Number | U.S. Statute Citation | U.S. Legislative Bill | U.S. Presidential Administration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 15, 1988 | P.L. 100-657 | 102 Stat. 3900 | H.R. 4399 | Ronald W. Reagan |
| December 23, 2004 | P.L. 108-492 | 118 Stat. 3974 | H.R. 5382 | George W. Bush |
See also
- Commercial Orbital Transportation Services
- Office of Commercial Space Transportation
- Private spaceflight
References
- ↑ http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title51/subtitle5/chapter509&edition=prelim
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ McLucas, John L. Space Commerce. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1991. Page 89.
- ↑ McLucas, John L. Space Commerce. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1991. Page 91.
External links
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
