---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 18323"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "18323"
heading: "Multi-purpose crew vehicle"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/18323"
units:
  - "Chapter 159 — Space Exploration, Technology, and Science"
  - "Subchapter II — Expansion of Human Space Flight Beyond the International Space Station and Low-Earth Orbit"
---

# §18323. Multi-purpose crew vehicle

- (a) **Initiation of development—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/18302.md?p=1) shall continue the development of a multi-purpose crew vehicle to be available as soon as practicable, and no later than for use with the [Space Launch System](/usc/42/18302.md?p=10). The vehicle shall continue to advance development of the human safety features, designs, and systems in the Orion [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2).
  - (2) **Goal for operational capability—** It shall be the goal to achieve full operational capability for the transportation vehicle developed pursuant to this subsection by not later than December 31, 2016. For purposes of meeting such goal, the [Administrator](/usc/42/18302.md?p=1) may undertake a test of the transportation vehicle at the [ISS](/usc/42/18302.md?p=5) before that date.
- (b) **Minimum capability requirements—** The multi-purpose crew vehicle developed pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) shall be designed to have, at a minimum, the following:
  - (1) The capability to serve as the primary crew vehicle for missions beyond low-Earth orbit.
  - (2) The capability to conduct regular in-space operations, such as rendezvous, docking, and extra-vehicular activities, in conjunction with payloads delivered by the [Space Launch System](/usc/42/18302.md?p=10) developed pursuant to [section 18322 of this title](/usc/42/18322.md), or other vehicles, in preparation for missions beyond low-Earth orbit or servicing of assets described in [section 18383 of this title](/usc/42/18383.md), or other assets in [cis-lunar space](/usc/42/18302.md?p=3).
  - (3) The capability to provide an alternative means of delivery of crew and cargo to the [ISS](/usc/42/18302.md?p=5), in the event other vehicles, whether commercial vehicles or partner-supplied vehicles, are unable to perform that function.
  - (4) The capacity for efficient and timely evolution, including the incorporation of new technologies, competition of sub-elements, and commercial operations.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–267, title III, § 303, Oct. 11, 2010, 124 Stat. 2815.)