In the Senate of the United States, 
November 10, 2015. 
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representa-
tives (H.R. 2262) entitled ‘‘An Act to facilitate a pro-growth 
environment for the developing commercial space industry by 
encouraging private sector investment and creating more sta-
ble and predictable regulatory conditions, and for other pur-
poses.’’, do pass with the following 
AMENDMENT: 
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following: 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS; REF-
ERENCES. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of this 
Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents; references. 
TITLE I—SPURRING PRIVATE AEROSPACE COMPETITIVENESS AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP 
Sec. 101. Short title.
† HR 2262 EAS 
Sec. 102. International launch competitiveness. 
Sec. 103. Indemnification for space flight participants. 
Sec. 104. Launch license flexibility. 
Sec. 105. Licensing report. 
Sec. 106. Federal jurisdiction. 
Sec. 107. Cross waivers. 
Sec. 108. Space authority. 
Sec. 109. Orbital traffic management. 
Sec. 110. Space surveillance and situational awareness data. 
Sec. 111. Consensus standards and extension of certain safety regulation require-
ments. 
Sec. 112. Government astronauts. 
Sec. 113. Streamline commercial space launch activities. 
Sec. 114. Operation and utilization of the ISS. 
Sec. 115. State commercial launch facilities. 
Sec. 116. Space support vehicles study. 
Sec. 117. Space launch system update. 
TITLE II—COMMERCIAL REMOTE SENSING 
Sec. 201. Annual reports. 
Sec. 202. Statutory update report. 
TITLE III—OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCE 
Sec. 301. Renaming of office of space commercialization. 
Sec. 302. Functions of the office of space commerce. 
TITLE IV—SPACE RESOURCE EXPLORATION AND UTILIZATION 
Sec. 401. Short title. 
Sec. 402. Title 51 amendment. 
Sec. 403. Disclaimer of extraterritorial sovereignty. 
(c) REFERENCES
TO TITLE 51, UNITED STATES 
CODE.—Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever 
in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 
of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provi-
sion, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section 
or other provision of title 51, United States Code.
† HR 2262 EAS 
TITLE 
I—SPURRING 
PRIVATE 
AEROSPACE 
COMPETITIVE-
NESS AND ENTREPRENEUR-
SHIP 
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Spurring Private Aero-
space Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship Act of 2015’’ 
or ‘‘SPACE Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 102. INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH COMPETITIVENESS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress 
that it is in the public interest to update the methodology 
used to calculate the maximum probable loss from claims 
under section 50914 of title 51, United States Code, with 
a validated risk profile approach in order to consistently 
compute valid and reasonable maximum probable loss val-
ues. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation, in consultation with the commercial space sector 
and insurance providers, shall— 
(1) evaluate the methodology used to calculate 
the maximum probable loss from claims under section 
50914 of title 51, United States Code, and, if nec-
essary, develop a plan to update that methodology;
† HR 2262 EAS 
(2) in evaluating or developing a plan under 
paragraph (1)— 
(A) ensure that the Federal Government is 
not exposed to greater costs than intended and 
that launch companies are not required to pur-
chase more insurance coverage than necessary; 
and 
(B) consider the impact of the cost to both 
the industry and the Government of imple-
menting an updated methodology; and 
(3) submit the evaluation, and any plan, to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representa-
tives. 
(c) INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 270 
days after the date the evaluation is submitted under sub-
section (b)(3), the Comptroller General shall submit to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology of the House of Representatives an assessment of— 
(1) the analysis and conclusions provided by the 
Secretary of Transportation in the evaluation, and 
any plan, under subsection (b);
† HR 2262 EAS 
(2) the implementation schedule proposed by the 
Secretary in the plan described in paragraph (1); 
(3) the suitability of the plan described in para-
graph (1) for implementation; and 
(4) any further actions needed to implement the 
plan described in paragraph (1) or otherwise accom-
plish the purpose of this section. 
(d) LAUNCH LIABILITY EXTENSION.—Section 50915(f) 
is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2016’’ and inserting 
‘‘September 30, 2025’’. 
SEC. 103. INDEMNIFICATION FOR SPACE FLIGHT PARTICI-
PANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 509 is amended— 
(1) in section 50914(a)— 
(A) in paragraph (4), by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(E) space flight participants.’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) Subparagraph (E) of paragraph (4) ceases 
to be effective September 30, 2025.’’; and 
(2) in section 50915(a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘a li-
censee or transferee under this chapter, a con-
tractor, subcontractor, or customer of the licensee 
or transferee, or a contractor or subcontractor of
† HR 2262 EAS 
a customer, but not against a space flight partic-
ipant,’’ and inserting ‘‘a person described in 
paragraph (3)(A)’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3)(A) A person described in this subparagraph 
is— 
‘‘(i) a licensee or transferee under this chap-
ter; 
‘‘(ii) a contractor, subcontractor, or cus-
tomer of the licensee or transferee; 
‘‘(iii) a contractor or subcontractor of a cus-
tomer; or 
‘‘(iv) a space flight participant. 
‘‘(B) Clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) ceases to 
be effective September 30, 2025.’’. 
SEC. 104. LAUNCH LICENSE FLEXIBILITY. 
Section 50906 is amended— 
(1) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘that will be launched or reentered’’ 
and inserting ‘‘or reusable launch vehicles that 
will be launched into a suborbital trajectory or 
reentered under that permit’’; 
(B) by amending paragraph (1) to read as 
follows:
† HR 2262 EAS 
‘‘(1) research and development to test design con-
cepts, equipment, or operating techniques;’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘prior to obtaining a li-
cense’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘or vehicle’’ after ‘‘de-
sign of the rocket’’; 
(2) in subsection (e)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘sub-
orbital rocket design’’ and inserting ‘‘suborbital 
rocket or suborbital rocket design, or for a par-
ticular reusable launch vehicle or reusable launch 
vehicle design,’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘or 
launch vehicle’’ after ‘‘the suborbital rocket’’; 
(3) by amending subsection (g) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(g) The Secretary may issue a permit under this sec-
tion notwithstanding any license issued under this chapter. 
The issuance of a license under this chapter may not invali-
date a permit issued under this section.’’; and 
(4) in subsection (h), by inserting ‘‘or reusable 
launch vehicle’’ after ‘‘suborbital rocket’’.
† HR 2262 EAS 
SEC. 105. LICENSING REPORT. 
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit 
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representatives a report 
on approaches for streamlining the licensing and permit-
ting process of launch vehicles, reentry vehicles, or compo-
nents of launch or reentry vehicles, to enable non-launch 
flight operations related to space transportation. The report 
shall include approaches to improve efficiency, reduce un-
necessary costs, resolve inconsistencies, remove duplication, 
and minimize unwarranted constraints. The report shall 
also include an assessment of existing private and govern-
ment infrastructure, as appropriate, in future licensing ac-
tivities. 
SEC. 106. FEDERAL JURISDICTION. 
Section 50914 is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(g) FEDERAL JURISDICTION.—Any claim by a third 
party or space flight participant for death, bodily injury, 
or property damage or loss resulting from an activity car-
ried out under the license shall be the exclusive jurisdiction 
of the Federal courts.’’. 
SEC. 107. CROSS WAIVERS. 
Section 50914(b)(1) is amended to read as follows:
† HR 2262 EAS 
‘‘(1)(A) A launch or reentry license issued or 
transferred under this chapter shall contain a provi-
sion requiring the licensee or transferee to make a re-
ciprocal waiver of claims with applicable parties in-
volved in launch services or reentry services under 
which each party to the waiver agrees to be respon-
sible for personal injury to, death of, or property 
damage or loss sustained by it or its own employees 
resulting from an activity carried out under the ap-
plicable license. 
‘‘(B) In this paragraph, the term ‘applicable 
parties’ means— 
‘‘(i) contractors, subcontractors, and cus-
tomers of the licensee or transferee; 
‘‘(ii) contractors and subcontractors of the 
customers; and 
‘‘(iii) space flight participants. 
‘‘(C) Clause (iii) of subparagraph (B) ceases to 
be effective September 30, 2025.’’. 
SEC. 108. SPACE AUTHORITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with the 
Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation, the Ad-
ministrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Admin-
† HR 2262 EAS 
istration, the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, and 
the commercial space sector, shall— 
(1) assess current, and proposed near-term, com-
mercial non-governmental activities conducted in 
space; 
(2) identify appropriate authorization and su-
pervision authorities for the activities described in 
paragraph (1); 
(3) recommend an authorization and supervision 
approach that would prioritize safety, utilize existing 
authorities, minimize burdens to the industry, pro-
mote the U.S. commercial space sector, and meet the 
United States obligations under international trea-
ties; and 
(4) submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives a report on the activities de-
scribed in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3). 
(b) EXCEPTION.—Nothing in this section shall apply 
to the activities of the ISS national laboratory as described 
in section 504 of the National Aeronautics and Space Ad-
ministration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18354), 
including any research or development projects utilizing the 
ISS national laboratory.
† HR 2262 EAS 
SEC. 109. ORBITAL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Con-
gress that an improved framework may be necessary for 
space traffic management of United States Government as-
sets and United States private sector assets in outer space 
and orbital debris mitigation. 
(b) STUDY.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Transportation, the Chair of the Fed-
eral Communications Commission, the Secretary of Com-
merce, and the Secretary of Defense, shall enter into an ar-
rangement with an independent systems engineering and 
technical assistance organization to study alternate frame-
works for the management of space traffic and orbital ac-
tivities. 
(c) CONTENTS.—The study shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of current regulations, best 
practices, and industry standards that apply to space 
traffic management and orbital debris mitigation. 
(2) An assessment of current statutory authori-
ties granted to the Federal Communications Commis-
sion, the Department of Transportation, and the De-
partment of Commerce that apply to space traffic 
management and orbital debris mitigation and how 
those agencies utilize and coordinate those authorities.
† HR 2262 EAS 
(3) A review of all space traffic management and 
orbital debris requirements under treaties and other 
international agreements to which the United States 
is a signatory, and other nonbinding international 
arrangements in which the United States partici-
pates, and the manner and extent to which the Fed-
eral Government complies with those requirements 
and arrangements. 
(4) An assessment of existing Federal Govern-
ment assets used to conduct space traffic management 
and space situational awareness. 
(5) An assessment of the risk to space traffic 
management associated with smallsats and any nec-
essary Government coordination for their launch and 
utilization to avoid congestion of the orbital environ-
ment and improve space situational awareness. 
(6) An assessment of existing private sector in-
formation sharing activities associated with space sit-
uational awareness and space traffic management. 
(7) Recommendations related to the appropriate 
framework for the protection of the health, safety, and 
welfare of the public and economic vitality of the 
space industry. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to
† HR 2262 EAS 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives the study re-
quired in subsection (b). 
(e) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORITIES.— 
(1) SENSE
OF
CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the Department of Defense plays a vital 
and unique role in protecting national security assets 
in space. 
(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
section may be construed to affect the authority of the 
Secretary of Defense as it relates to safeguarding the 
national security. 
SEC. 110. SPACE SURVEILLANCE AND SITUATIONAL AWARE-
NESS DATA. 
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation in concurrence 
with the Secretary of Defense shall— 
(1) in consultation with the heads of other rel-
evant Federal agencies, study the feasibility of proc-
essing and releasing safety-related space situational 
awareness data and information to any entity con-
sistent with national security interests and public 
safety obligations of the United States; and
† HR 2262 EAS 
(2) submit a report on the feasibility study to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representa-
tives. 
SEC. 111. CONSENSUS STANDARDS AND EXTENSION OF 
CERTAIN 
SAFETY 
REGULATION 
REQUIRE-
MENTS. 
Section 50905(c) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘IN
GEN-
ERAL.—’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘REGULA-
TIONS.—’’ before ‘‘Regulations’’; 
(3) by striking paragraph (3); 
(4) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-
graph (10); 
(5) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) FACILITATION
OF
STANDARDS.—The Sec-
retary shall continue to work with the commercial 
space sector, including the Commercial Space Trans-
portation Advisory Committee, or its successor orga-
nization, to facilitate the development of voluntary 
industry consensus standards based on recommended 
best practices to improve the safety of crew, govern-
† HR 2262 EAS 
ment astronauts, and space flight participants as the 
commercial space sector continues to mature. 
‘‘(4) COMMUNICATION
AND
TRANSPARENCY.— 
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit 
the authority of the Secretary to discuss potential reg-
ulatory approaches, potential performance standards, 
or any other topic related to this subsection with the 
commercial space industry, including observations, 
findings, and recommendations from the Commercial 
Space Transportation Advisory Committee, or its suc-
cessor organization, prior to the issuance of a notice 
of proposed rulemaking. Such discussions shall not be 
construed to permit the Secretary to promulgate in-
dustry regulations except as otherwise provided in 
this section. 
‘‘(5) INTERIM VOLUNTARY INDUSTRY CONSENSUS 
STANDARDS REPORTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than Decem-
ber 31, 2016, and every 30 months thereafter 
until December 31, 2021, the Secretary, in con-
sultation and coordination with the commercial 
space sector, including the Commercial Space 
Transportation Advisory Committee, or its suc-
cessor organization, shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
† HR 2262 EAS 
tation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives a report on the progress of the 
commercial space transportation industry in de-
veloping voluntary industry consensus standards 
that promote best practices to improve industry 
safety. 
‘‘(B) CONTENTS.—The report shall include, 
at a minimum— 
‘‘(i) any voluntary industry consensus 
standards that have been accepted by the in-
dustry at large; 
‘‘(ii) the identification of areas that 
have the potential to become voluntary in-
dustry consensus standards that are cur-
rently under consideration by the industry 
at large; 
‘‘(iii) an assessment from the Secretary 
on the general progress of the industry in 
adopting 
voluntary 
industry 
consensus 
standards; 
‘‘(iv) any lessons learned about vol-
untary industry consensus standards, best 
practices, and commercial space launch op-
erations;
† HR 2262 EAS 
that considers space flight participant, government 
astronaut, and crew safety. 
‘‘(7) REPORTS.—Not later than March 31 of 
each of 2018 and 2022, the Secretary, in consultation 
and coordination with the commercial space sector, 
including the Commercial Space Transportation Ad-
visory Committee, or its successor organization, shall 
submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report that identifies the activities, de-
scribed in this subsection and subsection (d) most ap-
propriate for a new safety framework that may in-
clude regulatory action, if any, and a proposed tran-
sition plan for such safety framework. 
‘‘(8) INDEPENDENT REVIEW.—Not later than De-
cember 31, 2022, an independent systems engineering 
and technical assistance organization or standards 
development organization contracted by the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives an assessment of the readiness of the 
commercial space industry and the Federal Govern-
ment to transition to a safety framework that may
† HR 2262 EAS 
include regulations. As part of the review, the con-
tracted organization shall evaluate— 
‘‘(A) the progress of the commercial space 
industry in adopting voluntary industry con-
sensus standards as reported by the Secretary in 
the interim assessments included in the reports 
under paragraph (5); 
‘‘(B) the progress of the commercial space 
industry toward meeting the key industry 
metrics identified by the report under paragraph 
(6), including the knowledge and operational ex-
perience obtained by the commercial space indus-
try while providing services for compensation or 
hire; and 
‘‘(C) whether the areas identified in the re-
ports under paragraph (5) are appropriate for 
regulatory action, or further development of vol-
untary industry consensus standards, consid-
ering the progress evaluated in subparagraphs 
(A) and (B) of this paragraph. 
‘‘(9) LEARNING PERIOD.—Beginning on October 
1, 2023, the Secretary may propose regulations under 
this subsection without regard to subparagraphs (C) 
and (D) of paragraph (2). The development of any 
such regulations shall take into consideration the
† HR 2262 EAS 
evolving standards of the commercial space flight in-
dustry as identified in the reports published under 
paragraphs (5), (6), and (7).’’; and 
(6) in paragraph (10), as redesignated, by in-
serting ‘‘RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—’’ before ‘‘Noth-
ing’’. 
SEC. 112. GOVERNMENT ASTRONAUTS. 
(a) FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.—Section 50901(15) is 
amended by inserting ‘‘, government astronauts,’’ after 
‘‘crew’’ each place it appears. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—The National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration has a need to fly government 
astronauts (as defined in section 50902 of title 51, United 
States Code, as amended) within commercial launch vehi-
cles and reentry vehicles under chapter 509 of that title. 
This need was identified by the Secretary of Transportation 
and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration due to the intended use of commer-
cial launch vehicles and reentry vehicles developed under 
the Commercial Crew Development Program, authorized in 
section 402 of the National Aeronautics and Space Admin-
istration Authorization Act of 2010 (124 Stat. 2820; Public 
Law 111–267). It is the sense of Congress that the authority 
delegated to the Administration by the amendment made
† HR 2262 EAS 
by subsection (d) of this section should be used for that pur-
pose. 
(c) DEFINITION OF GOVERNMENT ASTRONAUT.—Sec-
tion 50902 is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (22) 
as paragraphs (7) through (25), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) ‘government astronaut’ means an indi-
vidual who— 
‘‘(A) is designated by the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration under section 
20113(n); 
‘‘(B) is carried within a launch vehicle or 
reentry vehicle in the course of his or her em-
ployment, which may include performance of ac-
tivities directly relating to the launch, reentry, 
or other operation of the launch vehicle or re-
entry vehicle; and 
‘‘(C) is either— 
‘‘(i) an employee of the United States 
Government, including the uniformed serv-
ices, engaged in the performance of a Fed-
eral function under authority of law or an 
Executive act; or
† HR 2262 EAS 
‘‘(ii) an international partner astro-
naut. 
‘‘(5) ‘international partner astronaut’ means an 
individual designated under Article 11 of the Inter-
national Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement, 
by a partner to that agreement other than the United 
States, as qualified to serve as an International 
Space Station crew member. 
‘‘(6) ‘International Space Station Intergovern-
mental Agreement’ means the Agreement Concerning 
Cooperation on the International Space Station, 
signed at Washington January 29, 1998 (TIAS 
12927).’’. 
(d) POWERS OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND 
SPACE
ADMINISTRATION
IN
PERFORMANCE
OF
FUNC-
TIONS.—Section 20113 is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(n) 
IDENTIFICATION
OF
GOVERNMENT
ASTRO-
NAUTS.—For purposes of a license issued or transferred by 
the Secretary of Transportation under chapter 509 to 
launch a launch vehicle or to reenter a reentry vehicle car-
rying a government astronaut (as defined in section 50902), 
the Administration shall designate a government astronaut 
in accordance with requirements prescribed by the Adminis-
tration.’’.
† HR 2262 EAS 
(e) DEFINITION OF LAUNCH.—Paragraph (7) of sec-
tion 50902, as redesignated, is amended by striking ‘‘and 
any payload, crew, or space flight participant’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘and any payload or human being’’. 
(f) DEFINITION OF LAUNCH SERVICES.—Paragraph 
(9) of section 50902, as redesignated, is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘payload, crew (including crew training), or space 
flight participant’’ and inserting ‘‘payload, crew (including 
crew training), government astronaut, or space flight par-
ticipant’’. 
(g) DEFINITION OF REENTER AND REENTRY.—Para-
graph (16) of section 50902, as redesignated, is amended 
by striking ‘‘and its payload, crew, or space flight partici-
pants, if any,’’ and inserting ‘‘and its payload or human 
beings, if any,’’. 
(h) DEFINITION OF REENTRY SERVICES.—Paragraph 
(17) of section 50902, as redesignated, is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘payload, crew (including crew training), or space 
flight participant, if any,’’ and inserting ‘‘payload, crew 
(including crew training), government astronaut, or space 
flight participant, if any,’’. 
(i) DEFINITION OF SPACE FLIGHT PARTICIPANT.— 
Paragraph (20) of section 50902, as redesignated, is amend-
ed to read as follows: