Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984

Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984

Long title	An Act to facilitate commercial space launches, and for other purposes.
Acronyms (colloquial)	CSLA, ELVCA
Nicknames	Expendable Launch Vehicle Commercialization Act
Enacted by	the 98th United States Congress
Effective	October 30, 1984
Citations
Public law	98-575
Statutes at Large	98 Stat. 3055
Codification
Titles amended	51 U.S.C.: National and Commercial Space Programs
U.S.C. sections created	51 U.S.C. § 50901 et seq.
Legislative history
Introduced in the House as www.congress.gov/bill/98th-congress/house-bill/3942 by Daniel Akaka (D–HI) on September 21, 1983 Committee consideration by House Science and Technology, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Passed the House on June 5, 1984 (passed voice vote) Passed the Senate on October 9, 1984 (passed voice vote) with amendment House agreed to Senate amendment on October 9, 1984 (agreed unanimous consent) Signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on October 30, 1984

Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984 is a United States federal law authored to facilitate the private enterprise of the commercialization of space and space technology. The Act of Congress set forth the quest to acquire innovative equipment and services offered by entrepreneurial ventures from the information technology services, remote sensing technology, and telecommunications industries. The Act recognized the United States private sector as having the capability to develop commercial launch vehicles, orbital satellites, and operate private launch sites and services. The Act also assigned the duties of overseeing and coordinating commercial launches, issuing of licenses and permits, and promotion of safety standards to the Secretary of Department of Transportation.

The H.R. 3942 legislation was enacted by the 98th Congressional session and signed by the 40th President of the United States Ronald Reagan on October 30, 1984.

In the 1970s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration began to look for ways to outsource the use of its launching facilities and services to private companies such as COMSAT, RCA, and Western Union. This search was due to the fact that maintaining, modifying, launching, and other duties required to launch expendable launch vehicles cost upwards of billions of dollars. Once the space shuttle became operational, NASA and the United States Air Force began using it almost exclusively. In order to accommodate the heavy weight of the space shuttle launch system, the USAF spent billions of dollars modifying one launch pad in Vandenberg Air Force Base. However, it was never used. Upon realizing the economic benefits of utilizing private space companies, the House Science and Technologies Commission proposed H.R. 3942 which eventually became Public Law 98-575, or the Commercial Space Act of 1984.

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