51 USC § 51501 - Establishment of Office of Spaceports

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t51/s51501"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "51 USC § 51501 - Establishment of Office of Spaceports"
title_number: 51
title_name: "NATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL SPACE PROGRAMS"
section_number: "51501"
section_name: "Establishment of Office of Spaceports"
chapter_number: 515
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF SPACEPORTS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title V, § 580(b)(1), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3395.)"
---


# § 51501. Establishment of Office of Spaceports

**(a)** **Establishment of Office.—** Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall identify, within the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, a centralized policy office to be known as the Office of Spaceports.

**(b)** **Functions.—** The Office of Spaceports shall—

**(1)** support licensing activities for operation of launch and reentry sites;

**(2)** develop policies that promote infrastructure improvements at spaceports;

**(3)** provide technical assistance and guidance to spaceports;

**(4)** promote United States spaceports within the Department; and

**(5)** strengthen the Nation’s competitiveness in commercial space transportation infrastructure and increase resilience for the Federal Government and commercial customers.

**1** **Recognition.—** In carrying out the functions assigned in subsection (b), the Secretary shall recognize the unique needs and distinctions of spaceports that host— [^1]

So in original. The dash probably should follow “that” and the word “host” probably should appear at the beginning of par. (1).

**(1)** launches to or reentries from orbit; and

**(2)** are involved in suborbital launch activities.

**(d)** **Director.—** The head of the Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation shall designate a Director of the Office of Spaceports.

**(e)** **Definition.—** In this section the term “spaceport” means a launch or reentry site that is operated by an entity licensed by the Secretary of Transportation.

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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title V, § 580(b)(1), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3395.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (a), is the date of enactment of , which was approved .