I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7021 

To facilitate access to electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space launches 

and commercial space reentries. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 26, 2020 

Mr. SOTO (for himself and Mr. FLORES) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To facilitate access to electromagnetic spectrum for 

commercial space launches and commercial space reentries. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Leveraging American 

5 Understanding of Next-generation Challenges Exploring 

6 Space Act’’ or the ‘‘LAUNCHES Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. ACCESS TO SPECTRUM FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE 

8 LAUNCHES AND REENTRIES. 

9 (a) SERVICE RULES; ALLOCATION.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 

2 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commis3 sion shall— 

4 (A) adopt service rules for access to the 

5 frequencies described in subsection (c) for com6 mercial space launches and commercial space 

7 reentries, including technical specifications, eli8 gibility requirements, and coordination proce9 dures to preserve the Nation’s defense capabili10 ties; and 

11 (B) allocate on a co-primary basis the fre12 quencies described in subsection (c) for com13 mercial space launches and commercial space 

14 reentries. 

15 (2) COORDINATION WITH SECRETARY OF DE16 FENSE.—The coordination procedures adopted under 

17 paragraph (1)(A) shall include requirements for per18 sons conducting commercial space launches and 

19 commercial space reentries to coordinate with the 

20 Secretary of Defense regarding access to the fre21 quencies described in subsection (c) for commercial 

22 space launches and commercial space reentries. 

23 (b) STREAMLINING OF PROCESS FOR GRANTING AU24 THORIZATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 

25 the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall streamVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:45 Jun 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7021.IH H7021

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1 line the process for granting authorizations for access to 

2 the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial 

3 space launches and commercial space reentries to provide 

4 for— 

5 (1) authorizations that include access to such 

6 frequencies for multiple commercial space launches 

7 from one or more space launch sites and multiple 

8 commercial space reentries to one or more reentry 

9 sites; 

10 (2) authorizations that include access to mul11 tiple uses of such frequencies for a commercial space 

12 launch or commercial space reentry; 

13 (3) automation of the processes of the Commis14 sion to review applications for authorizations for ac15 cess to such frequencies for commercial space 

16 launches and commercial space reentries; and 

17 (4) improved coordination by the Commission 

18 with the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Com19 munications and Information (who shall coordinate 

20 with the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of 

21 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 

22 and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 

23 Atmospheric Administration) to increase the speed 

24 of review of applications for authorizations for acVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:45 Jun 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7021.IH H7021

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1 cess to such frequencies for commercial space 

2 launches and commercial space reentries. 

3 (c) FREQUENCIES DESCRIBED.—The frequencies de4 scribed in this subsection are the following: 

5 (1) The frequencies between 2025 megahertz 

6 and 2110 megahertz. 

7 (2) The frequencies between 2200 megahertz 

8 and 2290 megahertz. 

9 (3) The frequencies between 2360 megahertz 

10 and 2395 megahertz. 

11 (4) The frequencies between 5650 megahertz 

12 and 5925 megahertz. 

13 (d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Each range of fre14 quencies described in this section shall be construed to be 

15 inclusive of the upper and lower frequencies in the range. 

16 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

17 (1) COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH.—The term 

18 ‘‘commercial space launch’’ means a launch licensed 

19 under chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code. 

20 (2) COMMERCIAL SPACE REENTRY.—The term 

21 ‘‘commercial space reentry’’ means a reentry li22 censed under chapter 509 of title 51, United States 

23 Code. 


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1 (3) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

2 means the Federal Communications Commission. 

Æ 


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