cation. The Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on 
Science of the House of Representatives and Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
a written notice not later than 15 days after any occur-
rence when a permit is not issued within the deadline es-
tablished by this subsection. 
‘‘(2) In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary 
may establish procedures for safety approvals of launch 
vehicles, reentry vehicles, safety systems, processes, serv-
ices, or personnel, including crews, that may be used in 
conducting commercial space launch or reentry activities 
pursuant to a permit. 
‘‘(3) In order to encourage the development of a com-
mercial space flight industry, the Secretary, to the great-
est extent practicable, shall when issuing permits use the 
authority granted under subsection (c)(2)(C). 
‘‘(4) The Secretary may issue a permit only for reus-
able suborbital rockets that will be launched or reentered 
solely for—
‘‘(A) research and development to test new de-
sign concepts, new equipment, or new operating 
techniques; 
‘‘(B) showing compliance with requirements as 
part of the process for obtaining a license under this 
chapter; or
‘‘(C) crew training prior to obtaining a license 
for a launch or reentry using the design of the rock-
et for which the permit would be issued. 
‘‘(5) Permits issued under this subsection shall—
‘‘(A) authorize an unlimited number of launches 
and reentries for a particular suborbital rocket de-
sign for the uses described in paragraph (4); and 
‘‘(B) specify the modifications that may be 
made to the suborbital rocket without changing the 
design to an extent that would invalidate the permit. 
‘‘(6) Permits shall not be transferable. 
‘‘(7) A permit may not be issued for, and a permit 
that has already been issued shall cease to be valid for, 
a particular design for a reusable suborbital rocket after 
a license has been issued for the launch or reentry of a 
rocket of that design. 
‘‘(8) No person may operate a reusable suborbital 
rocket under a permit for carrying any property or human 
being for compensation or hire. 
‘‘(9) For the purposes of sections 70106, 70107, 
70108, 70109, 70110, 70112, 70115, 70116, 70117, and 
70121 of this chapter—
‘‘(A) a permit shall be considered a license; 
‘‘(B) the holder of a permit shall be considered 
a licensee;
‘‘(C) a vehicle operating under a permit shall be 
considered to be licensed; and 
‘‘(D) the issuance of a permit shall be consid-
ered licensing. 
This paragraph shall not be construed to allow the trans-
fer of a permit.’’. 
(8) Section 70105(c)(1) of title 49, United States 
Code, as so redesignated by paragraph (7) of this sub-
section, is amended by inserting ‘‘or permit’’ after ‘‘for 
a license’’. 
(9) Section 70105(c)(2)(B) of title 49, United States 
Code, as so redesignated by paragraph (7) of this sub-
section, is amended by striking ‘‘an additional require-
ment’’ and inserting ‘‘any additional requirement’’. 
(10) Section 70105(c)(2)(C) of title 49, United 
States Code, as so redesignated by paragraph (7) of this 
subsection, is amended by inserting ‘‘or permit’’ after ‘‘for 
a license’’. 
(11) Section 70105(c)(2)(D) of title 49, United 
States Code, as so redesignated by paragraph (7) of this 
subsection, is amended by inserting ‘‘or permit’’ after ‘‘for 
a license’’. 
(12) Section 70105(c)(3) of title 49, United States 
Code, as so redesignated by paragraph (7) of this sub-
section, is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘, including the requirement to 
obtain a license,’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘Noth-
ing in this paragraph shall be construed to allow the 
launch or reentry of a launch vehicle or a reentry ve-
hicle without a license or permit if a human being 
will be on board.’’. 
(13) Section 70105(c) of title 49, United States 
Code, as so redesignated by paragraph (7) of this sub-
section, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraphs: 
‘‘(4) The holder of a license or a permit under this 
chapter may launch or reenter crew only if—
‘‘(A) the crew has received training and has 
satisfied medical or other standards specified in the 
license or permit in accordance with regulations pro-
mulgated by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(B) the holder of the license or permit and 
crew have complied with all requirements of the laws 
of the United States that apply to crew. 
‘‘(5) The holder of a license or a permit under this 
chapter may launch or reenter a space flight participant 
only if—
‘‘(A) in accordance with regulations promul-
gated by the Secretary, the holder of the license or
permit has informed the space flight participant in 
writing about the risks of the launch or reentry, in-
cluding the safety record of the launch or reentry ve-
hicle type, and the space flight participant has pro-
vided written informed consent to participation in 
the launch or reentry; and 
‘‘(B) the holder of the license or permit and 
space flight participant have complied with all re-
quirements of the laws of the United States related 
to launching or reentering a space flight partici-
pant.’’. 
(14) Section 70105(d) of title 49, United States 
Code, as so redesignated by paragraph (7) of this sub-
section, is amended by inserting ‘‘or permit’’ after ‘‘of a 
license’’. 
(15) Section 70106(a) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended—
(A) by inserting ‘‘at a site used for crew train-
ing,’’ after ‘‘assemble a launch vehicle or reentry ve-
hicle,’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘section 70104(c)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘sections 70104(c) and 70105(c)(4)’’. 
(16) Section 70110(a)(1) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘70105(a)’’ and inserting 
‘‘70105’’.