49 U.S.C. § 70102 : US Code - Section 70102: Definitions

Search 49 U.S.C. § 70102 : US Code - Section 70102: Definitions

In this chapter -
(1) "citizen of the United States" means -
(A) an individual who is a citizen of the United States;
(B) an entity organized or existing under the laws of the
United States or a State; or
(C) an entity organized or existing under the laws of a
foreign country if the controlling interest (as defined by the
Secretary of Transportation) is held by an individual or entity
described in subclause (A) or (B) of this clause.
(2) "crew" means any employee of a licensee or transferee, or
of a contractor or subcontractor of a licensee or transferee, who
performs activities in the course of that employment directly
relating to the launch, reentry, or other operation of or in a
launch vehicle or reentry vehicle that carries human beings.
(3) "executive agency" has the same meaning given that term in
section 105 of title 5.
(4) "launch" means to place or try to place a launch vehicle or
reentry vehicle and any payload, crew, or space flight
participant from Earth -
(A) in a suborbital trajectory;
(B) in Earth orbit in outer space; or
(C) otherwise in outer space,
including activities involved in the preparation of a launch
vehicle or payload for launch, when those activities take place
at a launch site in the United States.
(5) "launch property" means an item built for, or used in, the
launch preparation or launch of a launch vehicle.
(6) "launch services" means -
(A) activities involved in the preparation of a launch
vehicle, payload, crew (including crew training), or space
flight participant for launch; and
(B) the conduct of a launch.
(7) "launch site" means the location on Earth from which a
launch takes place (as defined in a license the Secretary issues
or transfers under this chapter) and necessary facilities at that
location.
(8) "launch vehicle" means -
(A) a vehicle built to operate in, or place a payload or
human beings in, outer space; and
(B) a suborbital rocket.
(9) "obtrusive space advertising" means advertising in outer
space that is capable of being recognized by a human being on the
surface of the Earth without the aid of a telescope or other
technological device.
(10) "payload" means an object that a person undertakes to
place in outer space by means of a launch vehicle or reentry
vehicle, including components of the vehicle specifically
designed or adapted for that object.
(11) except in section 70104(c), "permit" means an experimental
permit issued under section 70105a.
(12) "person" means an individual and an entity organized or
existing under the laws of a State or country.
(13) "reenter" and "reentry" mean to return or attempt to
return, purposefully, a reentry vehicle and its payload, crew, or
space flight participants, if any, from Earth orbit or from outer
space to Earth.
(14) "reentry services" means -
(A) activities involved in the preparation of a reentry
vehicle and payload, crew (including crew training), or space
flight participant, if any, for reentry; and
(B) the conduct of a reentry.
(15) "reentry site" means the location on Earth to which a
reentry vehicle is intended to return (as defined in a license
the Secretary issues or transfers under this chapter).
(16) "reentry vehicle" means a vehicle designed to return from
Earth orbit or outer space to Earth, or a reusable launch vehicle
designed to return from Earth orbit or outer space to Earth,
substantially intact.
(17) "space flight participant" means an individual, who is not
crew, carried within a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle.
(18) "State" means a State of the United States, the District
of Columbia, and a territory or possession of the United States.
(19) unless and until regulations take effect under section
70120(c)(2), "suborbital rocket" means a vehicle, rocket-
propelled in whole or in part, intended for flight on a
suborbital trajectory, and the thrust of which is greater than
its lift for the majority of the rocket-powered portion of its
ascent.
(20) "suborbital trajectory" means the intentional flight path
of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, or any portion thereof,
whose vacuum instantaneous impact point does not leave the
surface of the Earth.
(21) "third party" means a person except -
(A) the United States Government or the Government's
contractors or subcontractors involved in launch services or
reentry services;
(B) a licensee or transferee under this chapter;
(C) a licensee's or transferee's contractors, subcontractors,
or customers involved in launch services or reentry services;
(D) the customer's contractors or subcontractors involved in
launch services or reentry services; or
(E) crew or space flight participants.
(22) "United States" means the States of the United States, the
District of Columbia, and the territories and possessions of the
United States.