51 U.S.C.
United States Code, 2022 Edition
Title 51 - NATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL SPACE PROGRAMS
Front Matter
From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov

#### Editorial Notes

#### Amendments

2020—Pub. L. 116–181, §2(c)(1), Oct. 21, 2020, 134 Stat. 892, added item for chapter 606.

2018—Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title V, §580(b)(2), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3396, added item for chapter 515.

2017—Pub. L. 115–10, title IV, §416(b), Mar. 21, 2017, 131 Stat. 35, struck out item for chapter 703 "Shuttle Pricing Policy for Commercial and Foreign Users".

2015—Pub. L. 114–90, title I, §117(b)(1), title III, §301(a)(2), title IV, §402(b), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 718, 720, 722, added item for chapter 513 and substituted "Commerce" for "Commercialization" in item for chapter 507 and "Use of space launch system or alternatives" for "Use of Space Shuttle or Alternatives" in item for chapter 701.

2010—Pub. L. 111–314, §4(d)(7), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3443, added items for chapters 509 and 511.

Table I
(Showing disposition of former sections of Title 15)
Title 15 Former Sections | Title 51 New Sections
--- | ---
1511e | 50702
1535 | 50703
5601 | 60101 note
5602 | 60101
5611 | 60111
5612, 5613 | Rep.
5614 | 60112
5615(a), (b) | 60113
5615(c), (d) | Rep.
5621 to 5625 | 60121 to 60125
5631 | 60131
5632 | 60132
5633(a) to (e) | 60133
5633(f), 5641(a) | Rep.
5641(b), (c) | 60134
5651 to 5658 | 60141 to 60148
5671 | 60161
5672 | 60162
5801 | 50501 note
5802 | 50501
5803(a) to (c) | 50502
5803(d) | Rep.
5805 | Rep.
5806 | 50503
5807 | 50504
5808 | 50506

Table II
(Showing disposition of former sections of Title 42)
Title 42 Former Sections | Title 51 New Sections
--- | ---
2451 | 20102
2452 | 20103
2453 | Rep.
2454 | 20131
2455(a) | 20132
2455(b) | 20132 note
2456 | 20133
2456a | 20134
2457 | 20135
2458 to 2458c | 20136 to 20139
2459 | 20140
2459a | Elim.
2459b | 20141
2459c | 20142
2459d | 30301
2459e | 30302
2459f | 20143
2459f–1 | 20144
2459g | 30307
2459h | 30308(b)
2459i | 30102
2459j | 20145
2459j–1 | 20145 note
2459k | 20146
2459l | 20147
2460 | 30101
2461 | 30901
2463 | 30303
2464 | 70101
2464a | Elim.
2465a(a) | 70102(a)
2465a(b) | Rep.
2465a(c) | 70102(b)
2465a(d) | 70102(c)
2465c | 70103(a)
2465f | 70103(b)
2466 to 2466c | 70301 to 70304
2467 | 40901
2467a | 40902
2467b(a), (b) | 40903(b), (c)
2467b(c) | 40903(a)
2471, 2471a | 20111 notes
2472 | 20111
2473(a), (b) | 20112
2473(c) | 20113
2473b (1st par.) | 30304
2473b (last par.), 2473c(a) | Rep.
2473c(b) | 31102 note
2473c(c) to (h) | 31102
2473d | 30309
2474(a) | Rep.
2474(b), (c) | 20114(a), (b)
2474(d) | Rep.
2475 | 20115
2475a(a), (b) | 30701(a), (b)(2)
2475b | 30702
2476 | 20116
2476a | 20117
2476b | Rep.
2477 | 31101
2481 to 2484 | 20161 to 20164
2486 | 40301 note
2486a to 2486i | 40301 to 40309
2486k | 40310
2486l | Rep.
2487 | 40501 note
2487a to 2487c | 40501 to 40503
2487e | 40504
2487f | 40505
2487g | Rep.
14701 | 50101
14711(a) | 50111(a)
14711(b) | Rep.
14712(a) | 50112 note
14712(b) | 50112
14713 | 50113
14714 | 50114
14715(a), (b) | 50115(a), (b)
14715(c) | Rep.
14715(d), (e) | 50115(c), (d)
14731 | 50131
14732 | 50132
14733(a) | 50133
14733(b), (c) | Rep.
14734 | 50134
14735 | Rep.
14751 | 50301 note
14752 | 50302
14753 | 50301
16601 | 10101 note
16611(a) | 20301
16611(b) | 20302
16611(c) to (g) | Elim.
16611(h)(1) | 30103(a)
16611(h)(2) | Elim.
16611(i) | 30103(b)
16611(j) | Elim.
16611a(a) to (c) | 20303(a) to (c)
16611a(d) | Elim.
16611a(e) | 20303(d)
16611a(f) | Elim.
16611b | 30103(c)
16611b note (Pub. L. 111–8, div. B, title III, 123 Stat. 589) | 30103(d)
16612 | note prec. 40901
16613 | 30104
16614 | 30703
16615 | 30501
16616, 16617 | Elim.
16618 | 30502
16631, 16632 | Rep.
16633 | 70902
16634 | 50505
16635, 16636 | Elim.
16651 | 30503
16652, 16653 | Elim.
16654(a) (matter before par. (1)) | 30504(a)
16654(a)(1) | Elim.
16654(a)(2) | 30504(b)
16654(b), 16655(1) | Elim.
16655(2), (3) | 40904
16656 | 60505
16657 | Elim.
16658 | 20304
16671 to 16676 | 60301 to 60306
16691 | note prec. 71101
16701 | 40101
16711 | 40102
16712(a) | Elim.
16712(b) | 40103
16721(a), (b) | 40111
16721(c), (d) | Rep.
16722(a) | 40701
16722(b) to (g) | 40112(a) to (f)
16723 to 16725 | 40113 to 40115
16726 | Rep.
16727 | 40116
16741 | 40131
16751 | 40141
16761(a), (b) | 70501(a), (b)
16761(c) | Elim.
16762 | 70501 note
16763 | 70502
16764 | 70503
16765 | 70904
16766(1), (2) | 70903
16766(3) | Elim.
16767(a), (b) | 70905(b), (c)
16767(c) | Elim.
16767(d) | 70905(a)
16781 | 31501
16782 | 70304 note
16791 | 40905
16792 | 30902
16793 | Elim.
16794 | 40906
16795 | 40907
16796 | note prec. 40901
16797 | 40908
16798(a) | Elim.
16798(b) | 40909
16811 | 50116
16821 | 30306
16822 | 31301
16823 | 30704
16824 | Elim.
16831 | T. 42 §1886a
16832 | Elim.
16841 to 16850 | 70701 to 70710
17701 | 20102 note
17702 | 10101 note
17711 | 60501
17712(a) | Elim.
17712(b) to (d) | 60502(a) to (c)
17713(a) | 60503
17713(b) | Elim.
17714 | 60504
17721 | 40702
17722 | 40703
17723(a) | 40704 note
17723(b), (c) | 40704(a), (b)
17724 | 40104
17731 | 70504
17732(a), (b) | 70505(a), (b)
17732(c) | Elim.
17733(a) | 70506 note
17733(b) | 70506
17734 | 71301
17741 | 70507
17742 | 70508
17751(a) | 70907
17751(b) | Elim.
17752 | 70906
17753 | Elim.
17761 | 70501 note
17771 | 50903 note
17781(a) | Elim.
17781(b) | 40903(d)
17781(c) | 40311
17791(a) | 71101
17791(b) | Elim.
17792 | 71101 note
17793 to 17795 | 71102 to 71104
17801 | 50111(b)
17811(a) | 31502
17811(b), (c) | Elim.
17812(a) | 31503
17812(b) | Elim.
17821(a) | 71302 note
17821(b) | 71302
17822 | 31302
17823 | 20305
17824 | 30305
17825(a), (b) | Elim.
17825(c) | 60506
17826 | Elim.
17827 | 30310
17828 | 31504
17829 | 31505

#### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

#### Enactment of Title

Pub. L. 111–314, §3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3328, provided in part that: "Title 51, United States Code, 'National and Commercial Space Programs', is enacted as follows".

#### Purpose; Conformity With Original Intent

Pub. L. 111–314, §2, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3328, provided that:

"(a) Purpose.—The purpose of this Act [see Tables for classification] is to codify certain existing laws related to national and commercial space programs as a positive law title of the United States Code.

"(b) Conformity With Original Intent.—In the codification of laws by this Act, the intent is to conform to the understood policy, intent, and purpose of Congress in the original enactments, with such amendments and corrections as will remove ambiguities, contradictions, and other imperfections, in accordance with section 205(c)(1) of House Resolution No. 988, 93d Congress, as enacted into law by Public Law 93–554 (2 U.S.C. 285b(1))."

#### Transitional and Savings Provisions

Pub. L. 111–314, §5, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3443, provided that:

"(a) Definitions.—In this section:

"(1) Source provision.—The term 'source provision' means a provision of law that is replaced by a title 51 provision.

"(2) Title 51 provision.—The term 'title 51 provision' means a provision of title 51, United States Code, that is enacted by section 3.

"(b) Cutoff Date.—The title 51 provisions replace certain provisions of law enacted on or before July 1, 2009. If a law enacted after that date amends or repeals a source provision, that law is deemed to amend or repeal, as the case may be, the corresponding title 51 provision. If a law enacted after that date is otherwise inconsistent with a title 51 provision or a provision of this Act [see Tables for classification], that law supersedes the title 51 provision or provision of this Act to the extent of the inconsistency.

"(c) Original Date of Enactment Unchanged.—For purposes of determining whether one provision of law supersedes another based on enactment later in time, a title 51 provision is deemed to have been enacted on the date of enactment of the corresponding source provision.

"(d) References to Title 51 Provisions.—A reference to a title 51 provision is deemed to refer to the corresponding source provision.

"(e) References to Source Provisions.—A reference to a source provision, including a reference in a regulation, order, or other law, is deemed to refer to the corresponding title 51 provision.

"(f) Regulations, Orders, and Other Administrative Actions.—A regulation, order, or other administrative action in effect under a source provision continues in effect under the corresponding title 51 provision.

"(g) Actions Taken and Offenses Committed.—An action taken or an offense committed under a source provision is deemed to have been taken or committed under the corresponding title 51 provision."

#### Repeals

Pub. L. 111–314, §6, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3444, repealed specified laws relating to national and commercial space programs, except with respect to rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, or proceedings that were begun before Dec. 18, 2010.

1 So in original. Probably should be "Space Resource Commercial Exploration and Utilization".

2 So in original. Probably should be "Use of Space Launch System or Alternatives".