---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 19071"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "19071"
heading: "Microgravity utilization policy"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/19071"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter III — National Science Foundation for the Future"
  - "Part E — Fundamental Research"
---

# §19071. Microgravity utilization policy

- (a) **Sense of Congress—** It is the sense of Congress that space technology and the utilization of the microgravity environment for science, engineering, and technology development is critical to long-term competitiveness with near-peer competitors, including China.
- (b) **Policy—** To the extent appropriate during an award period, the [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11) shall facilitate access by [recipients](/usc/42/18901.md?p=24) of [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11) awards to the microgravity environment, including in private sector platforms, for the development of science, engineering, and technology relevant to the award.
- (c) **Report—** Not later than 180 days after August 9, 2022, the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11)’s plan for facilitating [awardee](/usc/42/18901.md?p=2) access to the microgravity environment.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10364, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1569.)