{"identifier":"/us/usc/t42/s18311","title":42,"num":"\u00a7\u202f18311.","heading":"United States human space flight policy","text":"\u00a7\u202f18311.\nUnited States human space flight policy\n(a)\nUse of non-United States human space flight transportation services\n(1)\nIn general\nThe Federal Government may not acquire human space flight transportation services from a foreign entity unless\u2014\n(A) no United States Government-operated human space flight capability is available;\n(B) no United States commercial provider is available; and\n(C) it is a qualified foreign entity.\n(2)\nDefinitions\nIn this subsection:\n(A)\nCommercial provider\nThe term \u201ccommercial provider\u201d means any person providing human space flight transportation services, primary control of which is held by persons other than the Federal Government, a State or local government, or a foreign government.\n(B)\nQualified foreign entity\nThe term \u201cqualified foreign entity\u201d means a foreign entity that is in compliance with all applicable safety standards and is not prohibited from providing space transportation services under other law.\n(C)\nUnited States commercial provider\nThe term \u201cUnited States commercial provider\u201d means a commercial provider, organized under the laws of the United States or of a State, that is more than 50 percent owned by United States nationals.\n(3)\nArrangements with foreign entities\nNothing in this subsection shall prevent the Administrator from negotiating or entering into human space flight transportation arrangements with foreign entities to ensure safety of flight and continued ISS operations.\n(b)\nUnited States human space flight capabilities\nCongress reaffirms the policy stated in\nsection 70501(a) of title 51","url":"https://projectusc.org/usc/t42/s18311.html","content":[{"t":"sec","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311","children":[{"t":"num","text":"\u00a7\u202f18311."},{"t":"heading","text":"United States human space flight policy"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311/a","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(a)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Use of non-United States human space flight transportation services"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311/a/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"heading","text":"In general"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"The Federal Government may not acquire human space flight transportation services from a foreign entity unless\u2014"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311/a/1/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"content","text":" no United States Government-operated human space flight capability is available;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311/a/1/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"content","text":" no United States commercial provider is available; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311/a/1/C","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(C)"},{"t":"content","text":" it is a qualified foreign entity.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311/a/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Definitions"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"In this subsection:"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311/a/2/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Commercial provider"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"The term \u201ccommercial provider\u201d means any person providing human space flight transportation services, primary control of which is held by persons other than the Federal Government, a State or local government, or a foreign government.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311/a/2/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Qualified foreign entity"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"The term \u201cqualified foreign entity\u201d means a foreign entity that is in compliance with all applicable safety standards and is not prohibited from providing space transportation services under other law.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311/a/2/C","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(C)"},{"t":"heading","text":"United States commercial provider"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"The term \u201cUnited States commercial provider\u201d means a commercial provider, organized under the laws of the United States or of a State, that is more than 50 percent owned by United States nationals.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311/a/3","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(3)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Arrangements with foreign entities"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the Administrator from negotiating or entering into human space flight transportation arrangements with foreign entities to ensure safety of flight and continued ISS operations.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t42/s18311/b","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(b)"},{"t":"heading","text":"United States human space flight capabilities"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"Congress reaffirms the policy stated in ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 70501(a) of title 51","href":"/us/usc/t51/s70501/a","tail":", that the United States shall maintain an uninterrupted capability for human space flight and operations in low-Earth orbit, and beyond, as an essential instrument of national security and of the capacity to ensure continued United States participation and leadership in the exploration and utilization of space."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"text","text":"\n"},{"t":"text","text":"\n"}]}]}