LAUNCHES Act
Bill: H.R.8288 | Sponsor: Rep. Soto, Darren (D-FL)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Leveraging American Understanding of Next-generation Challenges Exploring Space Act or the LAUNCHES Act
This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to facilitate access to specified broadband spectrum frequencies for commercial space launches and reentries.
Under current law, commercial missions launching from the United States to space must use government-owned spectrum to communicate with the rockets during launch, and private companies must apply to the FCC to receive special temporary authority to use such spectrum. On June 28, 2021, the FCC issued a final rule adopting a nonfederal secondary allocation of the 2200-2290 megahertz frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum for use during commercial space launches and reentries.
The bill requires the FCC to adopt service rules for access to additional frequencies for commercial space launches and reentries and complete associated rulemaking activities (e.g., those that set technical specifications and eligibility requirements) to implement the allocation of the frequencies.
The FCC must also streamline the process for access authorizations, providing for (1) authorizations to access specified frequencies for multiple commercial space launches and reentries from one or more launch or reentry sites, (2) authorizations for multiple uses of such frequencies for a commercial space launch or reentry, (3) automation of the FCC's review process for access applications, and (4) increased coordination between the FCC and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to speed the review of such applications.

To facilitate access to electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space 
                launches and commercial space reentries.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Leveraging American Understanding of 
Next-generation Challenges Exploring Space Act'' or the ``LAUNCHES 
Act''.

SEC. 2. ACCESS TO SPECTRUM FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCHES AND REENTRIES.

    (a) Service Rules; Allocation.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall--
                    (A) complete any proceeding in effect as of such 
                date of enactment related to the adoption of service 
                rules for access to the frequencies described in 
                subsection (c) for commercial space launches and 
                commercial space reentries, including technical 
                specifications, eligibility requirements, and 
                coordination procedures to preserve the Nation's 
                defense capabilities; and
                    (B) allocate on a secondary basis such frequencies 
                for commercial space launches and commercial space 
                reentries.
            (2) Coordination with national telecommunications and 
        information administration.--The coordination procedures 
        adopted under paragraph (1)(A) shall include requirements for 
        persons conducting commercial space launches and commercial 
        space reentries to coordinate with the Assistant Secretary 
        regarding access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) 
        for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.
            (3) Limitation.--Access to the frequencies described in 
        subsection (c) under the service rules adopted under paragraph 
        (1)(A), and the allocation of such frequencies under paragraph 
        (1)(B), shall be limited to the use of such frequencies for 
        commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.
    (b) Streamlining of Process for Granting Authorizations.--Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Commission shall issue new regulations to streamline the process for 
granting authorizations for access to the frequencies described in 
subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space 
reentries so as to provide for--
            (1) authorizations that include access to such frequencies 
        for multiple commercial space launches from one or more space 
        launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to one or 
        more reentry sites;
            (2) authorizations that include access to multiple uses of 
        such frequencies for commercial space launch or commercial 
        space reentry;
            (3) automation of the processes of the Commission to review 
        applications for authorizations for access to such frequencies 
        for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries; 
        and
            (4) improved coordination by the Commission with the 
        Assistant Secretary (who shall coordinate with the heads of 
        such other Federal agencies as the Assistant Secretary 
        considers appropriate, which may include the Secretary of 
        Defense) to increase the speed of review of applications for 
        authorizations for access to such frequencies for commercial 
        space launches and commercial space reentries.
    (c) Frequencies Described.--The frequencies described in this 
subsection are the following:
            (1) The frequencies between 2025-2110 MHz, 2200-2290 MHz, 
        2360-2395 MHz, and 5650-5925 MHz.
            (2) Any additional frequencies identified by the Commission 
        (in coordination with the Assistant Secretary, in the case of 
        potential impact to Federal spectrum use) as necessary to 
        conduct commercial space launches and commercial space 
        reentries.
    (d) Rule of Construction.--Each range of frequencies described in 
this section shall be construed to be inclusive of the upper and lower 
frequencies in the range.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
        means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
        and Information.
            (2) Commercial space launch.--The term ``commercial space 
        launch'' means a launch licensed under chapter 509 of title 51, 
        United States Code.
            (3) Commercial space reentry.--The term ``commercial space 
        reentry'' means a reentry licensed under chapter 509 of title 
        51, United States Code.
            (4) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Communications Commission.
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