The House of Representatives passed on Thursday HR 3752, the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004. The bill puts into law definitions for suborbital vehicles and trajectories, and specifies that suborbital vehicles will be regulated as launch vehicles and licensed, and not treated as aircraft and thus be certified. The bill also extends the government indemnification of launches (to cover catastrophic third-party damages) through 2008 but requires a study be performed to determine if indemnification is appropriate. HR 3752 passed 402-1; as with HR 912 on Wednesday, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) was the only dissenting Congressman.
The House Science Committee press release announcing the passage of the bill includes the floor statement of committee chairman Rep. Sherwood Boehlert. The statement makes reference to an amendment by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) that Boehlert agreed to because “this regulation can be provided without any increase in the budget of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).” The amendment introduced by Rep. Flake would authorize $11.8 million to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) for fiscal years 2005 through 2007, the same amount currently appropriated to the office.
The House now has to wait for the Senate to take action on a similar bill, S.1260, before the two bills can be reconciled into the final legislation. There’s no indication when the Senate will take up the bill.
Once again, we’re in America’s debt. This legislation should help open the road for space tourism and it’s associated support industries. That means manufacturing and tech jobs in the States, as well as here in Canada too. Thanks for providing leadership in space development!
Thank the Russians – they started the ball rolling while NASA fumed. The student teaches the teacher (good for them).