Commercial Space Transportation Safety Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.8689 | Sponsor: Rep. Graves, Garret (R-LA)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Commercial Space Transportation Safety Act of 2022
This bill requires the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to investigate and establish the facts, circumstances, and cause or probable cause of a commercial space transportation accident in which there is (1) a fatality or significant injury of any individual, regardless of whether the individual was on board the commercial launch vehicle at the time of the accident; or (2) substantial damage to property that is not associated with commercial space launch activities and that is not located at the launch site.
The NTSB shall seek to enter into a memorandum of understanding with any other government agency with the authority to certify a commercial space transportation operation or investigate a commercial space transportation accident. The memoranda must delineate the conditions under and manner in which (1) a commercial space transportation accident that may be investigated by the NTSB will be investigated by the other agency, and (2) the NTSB will participate in the other agency's investigation.


To amend title 49, United States Code, to clarify the authority of the 
 National Transportation Safety Board to investigate commercial space 
           transportation accidents, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Commercial Space Transportation 
Safety Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. GENERAL AUTHORITY OF THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD.

    (a) In General.--Section 1131(a)(1) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (E) by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (G); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:
            ``(F) a commercial space transportation accident in which 
        there is--
                    ``(i) a fatality or significant injury of any 
                individual, regardless of whether the individual was on 
                board the commercial launch vehicle at the time of the 
                accident; or
                    ``(ii) substantial damage to property that is not 
                associated with commercial space launch activities and 
                that is not located at the launch site; and''.
    (b) Other Investigative Agencies.--Section 1131(a)(2) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(D) The Board shall seek to enter into a memorandum of agreement 
with any Government agency with the authority to certify a commercial 
space transportation operation or investigate a commercial space 
transportation accident. Such memoranda shall delineate the conditions 
under and manner in which--
            ``(i) a commercial space transportation accident that may 
        be investigated by the Board under subparagraph (F) or (G) of 
        paragraph (1) will instead be investigated by the other 
        Government agency; and
            ``(ii) the Board will participate in such other Government 
        agency's investigation.
    ``(E) For an occurrence in commercial space transportation other 
than an accident described in paragraph (1)(F), the Board may only 
investigate such occurrence--
            ``(i) in accordance with the terms of a memorandum of 
        agreement with another Government agency described in 
        subparagraph (D); or
            ``(ii) with the agreement of the Government agency 
        responsible for investigating such occurrence.''.
    (c) Technical Corrections.--Section 1131(a)(2)(A) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ``or (F)'' and inserting 
``(F), or (G)''.
    (d) Savings Provision.--None of the amendments made by subsection 
(a) or (b) shall be construed to limit the authority of the National 
Transportation Safety Board to investigate any other commercial space 
transportation accident that, in the judgement of the Board, falls 
under the authority of the Board under section 1131(a)(1)(G) (as 
redesignated by this Act).
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