Streamlining Regulations on Commercial Use of Space, 24901-24903 [2018-11769]

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• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 30, 2018)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 24901-24903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-11769]



[[Page 24899]]

Vol. 83

Wednesday,

No. 104

May 30, 2018

Part IV





The President





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Space Policy Directive-2 of May 24, 2018--Streamlining Regulations on 
Commercial Use of Space


                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 83 , No. 104 / Wednesday, May 30, 2018 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 24901]]

                Space Policy Directive-2 of May 24, 2018

                
Streamlining Regulations on Commercial Use of 
                Space

                Memorandum for the Vice President[,] the Secretary of 
                State[,] the Secretary of Defense[,] the Secretary of 
                Commerce[,] the Secretary of Transportation[,] the 
                Secretary of Homeland Security[,] the Secretary of 
                Labor[,] the Director of National Intelligence[,] the 
                Director of the Office of Management and Budget[,] the 
                Assistant to the President for National Security 
                Affairs[,] the Administrator of the National 
                Aeronautics and Space Administration[,] the Director of 
                the Office of Science and Technology Policy[,] the 
                Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and 
                Counterterrorism[, and] the Chairman of the Joint 
                Chiefs of Staff

                Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of the executive 
                branch to be prudent and responsible when spending 
                taxpayer funds, and to recognize how government 
                actions, including Federal regulations, affect private 
                resources. It is therefore important that regulations 
                adopted and enforced by the executive branch promote 
                economic growth; minimize uncertainty for taxpayers, 
                investors, and private industry; protect national 
                security, public-safety, and foreign policy interests; 
                and encourage American leadership in space commerce.

                Sec. 2. Launch and Re-entry Licensing. (a) No later 
                than February 1, 2019, the Secretary of Transportation 
                shall review regulations adopted by the Department of 
                Transportation that provide for and govern licensing of 
                commercial space flight launch and re-entry for 
                consistency with the policy set forth in section 1 of 
                this memorandum and shall rescind or revise those 
                regulations, or publish for notice and comment proposed 
                rules rescinding or revising those regulations, as 
                appropriate and consistent with applicable law.

                    (b) Consistent with the policy set forth in section 
                1 of this memorandum, the Secretary of Transportation 
                shall consider the following:

(i) requiring a single license for all types of commercial space flight 
launch and re-entry operations; and

(ii) replacing prescriptive requirements in the commercial space flight 
launch and re-entry licensing process with performance-based criteria.

                    (c) In carrying out the review required by 
                subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of 
                Transportation shall coordinate with the members of the 
                National Space Council.
                    (d) The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of 
                Transportation, and the Administrator of the National 
                Aeronautics and Space Administration shall coordinate 
                to examine all existing U.S. Government requirements, 
                standards, and policies associated with commercial 
                space flight launch and re-entry operations from 
                Federal launch ranges and, as appropriate and 
                consistent with applicable law, to minimize those 
                requirements, except those necessary to protect public 
                safety and national security, that would conflict with 
                the efforts of the Secretary of Transportation in 
                implementing the Secretary's responsibilities under 
                this section.

                Sec. 3. Commercial Remote Sensing. (a) Within 90 days 
                of the date of this memorandum, the Secretary of 
                Commerce shall review the regulations adopted by the 
                Department of Commerce under Title II of the Land 
                Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992 (51 U.S.C. 60101 et 
                seq.) for consistency with the policy set forth in 
                section 1 of this memorandum and shall rescind or 
                revise those regulations, or publish for notice and 
                comment proposed

[[Page 24902]]

                rules rescinding or revising those regulations, as 
                appropriate and consistent with applicable law.

                    (b) In carrying out the review required by 
                subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of 
                Commerce shall coordinate with the Secretary of State, 
                the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of the 
                National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and, as 
                appropriate, the Chairman of the Federal Communications 
                Commission.
                    (c) Within 120 days of the date of the completion 
                of the review required by subsection (a) of this 
                section, the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination 
                with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of 
                Defense, shall transmit to the Director of the Office 
                of Management and Budget a legislative proposal to 
                encourage expansion of the licensing of commercial 
                remote sensing activities. That proposal shall be 
                consistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of 
                this memorandum.

                Sec. 4. Reorganization of the Department of Commerce. 
                (a) To the extent permitted by law, the Secretary of 
                Commerce shall consolidate in the Office of the 
                Secretary of Commerce the responsibilities of the 
                Department of Commerce with respect to the Department's 
                regulation of commercial space flight activities.

                    (b) Within 30 days of the date of this memorandum, 
                the Secretary of Commerce shall transmit to the 
                Director of the Office of Management and Budget a 
                legislative proposal to create within the Department of 
                Commerce an entity with primary responsibility for 
                administering the Department's regulation of commercial 
                space flight activities.

                Sec. 5. Radio Frequency Spectrum. (a) The Secretary of 
                Commerce, in coordination with the Director of the 
                Office of Science and Technology Policy, shall work 
                with the Federal Communications Commission to ensure 
                that Federal Government activities related to radio 
                frequency spectrum are, to the extent permitted by law, 
                consistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of 
                this memorandum.

                    (b) Within 120 days of the date of this memorandum, 
                the Secretary of Commerce and the Director of the 
                Office of Science and Technology Policy, in 
                consultation with the Chairman of the Federal 
                Communications Commission, and in coordination with the 
                members of the National Space Council, shall provide to 
                the President, through the Executive Secretary of the 
                National Space Council, a report on improving the 
                global competitiveness of the United States space 
                sector through radio frequency spectrum policies, 
                regulation, and United States activities at the 
                International Telecommunication Union and other 
                multilateral forums.

                Sec. 6. Review of Export Licensing Regulations. The 
                Executive Secretary of the National Space Council, in 
                coordination with the members of the National Space 
                Council, shall:

                    (a) initiate a review of export licensing 
                regulations affecting commercial space flight activity;
                    (b) develop recommendations to revise such 
                regulations consistent with the policy set forth in 
                section 1 of this memorandum and with applicable law; 
                and
                    (c) submit such recommendations to the President, 
                through the Vice President, no later than 180 days from 
                the date of this memorandum.

                Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this 
                memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise 
                affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent 
                with applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does 
                not, create any right or benefit, substantive or 
                procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by

[[Page 24903]]

                any party against the United States, its departments, 
                agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or 
                agents, or any other person.
                    (d) The Secretary of Transportation is authorized 
                and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal 
                Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, May 24, 2018

[FR Doc. 2018-11769
Filed 5-29-18; 11:15 am]
Billing code 4910-9X-P