I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5063 

To promote the development of a commercial asteroid resources industry 

for outer space in the United States and to increase the exploration 

and utilization of asteroid resources in outer space. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 10, 2014 

Mr. POSEY (for himself and Mr. KILMER) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To promote the development of a commercial asteroid resources industry for outer space in the United States 

and to increase the exploration and utilization of asteroid 

resources in outer space. 

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 ‘‘American Space Tech5 nology for Exploring Resource Opportunities In Deep 

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


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1 SEC. 2. TITLE 51 AMENDMENT. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle V of title 51, United 

3 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol4 lowing new chapter: 

5 ‘‘CHAPTER 513—ASTEROID RESOURCE 

6 EXPLORATION AND UTILIZATION 

‘‘Sec. 

‘‘51301. Commercialization of asteroid resource exploration and utilization in 

outer space. 

‘‘51302. Legal framework. 

‘‘51303. Definitions. 

7 ‘‘§ 51301. Commercialization of asteroid resource ex8 ploration and utilization in outer space 

9 ‘‘The President, through the Administration, the 

10 Federal Aviation Administration, and other appropriate 

11 Federal agencies, shall— 

12 ‘‘(1) facilitate the commercial exploration and 

13 utilization of asteroid resources to meet national 

14 needs; 

15 ‘‘(2) discourage government barriers to the de16 velopment of economically viable, safe, and stable in17 dustries for the exploration and utilization of aster18 oid resources in outer space in manners consistent 

19 with the existing international obligations of the 

20 United States; 

21 ‘‘(3) promote the right of United States com22 mercial entities to explore and utilize resources from 

23 asteroids in outer space, in accordance with the exVerDate Mar 15 2010 20:48 Jul 15, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5063.IH H5063

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1 isting international obligations of the United States, 

2 free from harmful interference, and to transfer or 

3 sell such resources; and 

4 ‘‘(4) develop the frameworks necessary to meet 

5 the international obligations of the United States. 

6 ‘‘§ 51302. Legal framework 

7 ‘‘(a) PROPERTY RIGHTS.—Any resources obtained in 

8 outer space from an asteroid are the property of the entity 

9 that obtained such resources, which shall be entitled to 

10 all property rights thereto, consistent with applicable pro11 visions of Federal law. 

12 ‘‘(b) FREEDOM FROM HARMFUL INTERFERENCE.— 

13 As between any entities over which the United States can 

14 exercise jurisdiction, any assertion of superior right to exe15 cute specific commercial asteroid resource utilization ac16 tivities in outer space shall prevail if it is found to be first 

17 in time, derived upon a reasonable basis, and in accord18 ance with all existing international obligations of the 

19 United States. 

20 ‘‘(c) SAFETY OF OPERATIONS.—A United States 

21 commercial asteroid resource utilization entity shall avoid 

22 harmful interference to other spacecraft. 

23 ‘‘(d) RELIEF FROM HARMFUL INTERFERENCE.—A 

24 United States commercial asteroid resource utilization en25 tity may bring an action for appropriate legal or equitable 


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1 relief, or both, under this chapter for any action, by an2 other private entity, compromising the right to conduct its 

3 operations free of harmful interference. 

4 ‘‘(e) EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION.—The district courts 

5 of the United States shall have exclusive jurisdiction of 

6 an action under this chapter without regard to the amount 

7 in controversy. 

8 ‘‘§ 51303. Definitions 

9 ‘‘For the purposes of this chapter: 

10 ‘‘(1) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means any of 

11 the several States, the District of Columbia, the 

12 Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, 

13 Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 

14 Northern Mariana Islands, and any other common15 wealth, territory, or possession of the United States. 

16 ‘‘(2) UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL ASTEROID

17 RESOURCE UTILIZATION ENTITY.—The term ‘United 

18 States commercial asteroid resource utilization enti19 ty’ means a person or company providing asteroid 

20 exploration or utilization services, the control of 

21 which is held by persons other than a Federal, 

22 State, local, or foreign government, that is— 

23 ‘‘(A) duly organized under the laws of a 

24 State; 


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1 ‘‘(B) subject to the subject matter and per2 sonal jurisdiction of the courts of the United 

3 States; or 

4 ‘‘(C) a foreign entity that has voluntarily 

5 submitted to the subject matter and personal 

6 jurisdiction of the courts of the United States.’’. 

7 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of chapters 

8 for title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding 

9 at the end of the items for subtitle V the following: 

‘‘513. Asteroid resource exploration and utilization ...........51301’’. 

Æ 


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