LAUNCHES Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7021 To facilitate access to electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 26, 2020 Mr. SOTO (for himself and Mr. FLORES) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To facilitate access to electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Leveraging American 4 Understanding of Next-generation Challenges Exploring 5 Space Act’’ or the ‘‘LAUNCHES Act’’. 6 SEC. 2. ACCESS TO SPECTRUM FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE 7 LAUNCHES AND REENTRIES. 8 (a) SERVICE RULES; ALLOCATION.— 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:45 Jun 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7021.IH H7021 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7021 IH (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 1 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commis- 2 sion shall— 3 (A) adopt service rules for access to the 4 frequencies described in subsection (c) for com- 5 mercial space launches and commercial space 6 reentries, including technical specifications, eli- 7 gibility requirements, and coordination proce- 8 dures to preserve the Nation’s defense capabili- 9 ties; and 10 (B) allocate on a co-primary basis the fre- 11 quencies described in subsection (c) for com- 12 mercial space launches and commercial space 13 reentries. 14 (2) COORDINATION WITH SECRETARY OF DE- 15 FENSE.—The coordination procedures adopted under 16 paragraph (1)(A) shall include requirements for per- 17 sons conducting commercial space launches and 18 commercial space reentries to coordinate with the 19 Secretary of Defense regarding access to the fre- 20 quencies described in subsection (c) for commercial 21 space launches and commercial space reentries. 22 (b) STREAMLINING OF PROCESS FOR GRANTING AU- 23 THORIZATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 24 the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall stream- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:45 Jun 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7021.IH H7021 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7021 IH line the process for granting authorizations for access to 1 the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial 2 space launches and commercial space reentries to provide 3 for— 4 (1) authorizations that include access to such 5 frequencies for multiple commercial space launches 6 from one or more space launch sites and multiple 7 commercial space reentries to one or more reentry 8 sites; 9 (2) authorizations that include access to mul- 10 tiple uses of such frequencies for a commercial space 11 launch or commercial space reentry; 12 (3) automation of the processes of the Commis- 13 sion to review applications for authorizations for ac- 14 cess to such frequencies for commercial space 15 launches and commercial space reentries; and 16 (4) improved coordination by the Commission 17 with the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Com- 18 munications and Information (who shall coordinate 19 with the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of 20 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 21 and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 22 Atmospheric Administration) to increase the speed 23 of review of applications for authorizations for ac- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:45 Jun 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7021.IH H7021 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7021 IH cess to such frequencies for commercial space 1 launches and commercial space reentries. 2 (c) FREQUENCIES DESCRIBED.—The frequencies de- 3 scribed in this subsection are the following: 4 (1) The frequencies between 2025 megahertz 5 and 2110 megahertz. 6 (2) The frequencies between 2200 megahertz 7 and 2290 megahertz. 8 (3) The frequencies between 2360 megahertz 9 and 2395 megahertz. 10 (4) The frequencies between 5650 megahertz 11 and 5925 megahertz. 12 (d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Each range of fre- 13 quencies described in this section shall be construed to be 14 inclusive of the upper and lower frequencies in the range. 15 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 16 (1) COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH.—The term 17 ‘‘commercial space launch’’ means a launch licensed 18 under chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code. 19 (2) COMMERCIAL SPACE REENTRY.—The term 20 ‘‘commercial space reentry’’ means a reentry li- 21 censed under chapter 509 of title 51, United States 22 Code. 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:45 Jun 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7021.IH H7021 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 7021 IH (3) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 1 means the Federal Communications Commission. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:45 Jun 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7021.IH H7021 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS