S. 1961: Licensing Aerospace Units to New Commercial Heights Act

The "Licensing Aerospace Units to New Commercial Heights Act" (LAUNCH Act) aims to simplify and enhance the regulatory framework surrounding commercial space launch and reentry activities. Here’s a breakdown of its key components:

1. Streamlining Regulations

The Act requires the Secretary of Transportation to evaluate existing regulations (specifically, part 450 of the Code of Federal Regulations) regarding commercial spaceflight. This evaluation will assess:

• Whether these regulations have introduced uncertainty into the industry.
• Whether they have caused delays in launching operations.
• The impact of review timelines and any unnecessary reviews.

Following the evaluation, a report with findings and recommendations for reducing inefficiencies will be submitted to Congress.

2. Rulemaking Committee

The Secretary will support an Aerospace Rulemaking Committee that includes both established and emerging space service providers. This committee will focus on providing recommendations for regulatory amendments and fostering industry collaboration on regulatory issues.

3. Innovation Encouragement

The Secretary will regularly assess whether existing licensing requirements can be modified or removed to promote innovative technologies and operations in the space industry.

4. Modifications to Licensing Requirements

The Act proposes adjustments to the licensing application process, including:

• Accepting reasonable safety proposals from license applicants.
• Assigning a lead licensing officer to assist each applicant and streamline their review process.
• Improving the timeliness of determinations and eliminating redundant reviews involving other agencies.

5. Digital Licensing System

A digital system will be established to manage licensing, permitting, and approval processes for space operations. This system will track applications, provide status updates, and ensure transparency by being accessible to the public.

6. Annual Briefing

The Secretary will provide an annual briefing to Congress on the licensing process, covering aspects such as average processing times and efforts to streamline reviews.

7. Direct Hiring for Regulatory Roles

The Secretary will utilize direct hiring authorities to fill positions in the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, allowing for more efficient staffing in regulatory functions related to space activities.

8. Formation of a Commercial Space Transportation Administration

The Act establishes a new entity within the Department of Transportation, known as the Commercial Space Transportation Administration, which will oversee commercial space launch and reentry activities.

9. Flight Safety Analysis Workforce

This section emphasizes the importance of flight safety analysis and encourages cooperation among the Department of Defense and NASA to support safety for commercial launches and reentries.

10. Streamlined Licensing for Remote Sensing

The Act aims to clarify and ease the regulatory authority concerning private remote sensing space systems and facilitate their licensing processes. This includes assigning dedicated licensing officers to assist applicants through the process.

11. GAO Report on Remote Sensing Regulation

The Comptroller General will conduct a review of the Department of Commerce's policies regarding the private remote sensing industry and report on how these policies may impact industry growth and innovation.

Relevant Companies

• TSLA - Tesla, Inc. may be affected due to its investments in space technologies and satellite systems.
• BABA - Alibaba Group could see implications through its interest in satellite communication technologies.
• BA - Boeing might be impacted, given its involvement in aerospace manufacturing and space exploration initiatives.
• LMT - Lockheed Martin could experience changes due to its extensive defense and aerospace operations.