---
kind: "section"
citation: "51 U.S.C. § 50910"
title: "51"
title_heading: "National and Commercial Space Programs"
number: "50910"
heading: "Preemption of scheduled launches or reentries"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/51/50910"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Programs Targeting Commercial Opportunities"
  - "Chapter 509 — Commercial Space Launch Activities"
---

# §50910. Preemption of scheduled launches or reentries

- (a) **General.—** With the cooperation of the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) of Defense and the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) of the National Aeronautics and Space [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1), the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) of Transportation shall act to ensure that a [launch](/usc/51/50501.md?p=5) or reentry of a [payload](/usc/51/50101.md?p=2) is not preempted from access to a [United States](/usc/51/50501.md?p=14) Government [launch site](/usc/51/50902.md?p=10), [reentry site](/usc/51/50902.md?p=18), or [launch property](/usc/51/50902.md?p=8), except for imperative national need, when a [launch](/usc/51/50501.md?p=5) date commitment or reentry date commitment from the Government has been obtained for a [launch](/usc/51/50501.md?p=5) or reentry licensed under this chapter. A licensee or transferee preempted from access to a [launch site](/usc/51/50902.md?p=10), [reentry site](/usc/51/50902.md?p=18), or [launch property](/usc/51/50902.md?p=8) does not have to pay the Government any amount for [launch services](/usc/51/50501.md?p=6), or services related to a reentry, attributable only to the scheduled [launch](/usc/51/50501.md?p=5) or reentry prevented by the preemption.
- (b) **Imperative National Need Decisions.—** In consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) of Transportation, the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) of Defense or the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) shall decide when an imperative national need requires preemption under [subsection (a)](#a) of this section. That decision may not be delegated.
- (c) **Reports.—** In cooperation with the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) of Transportation, the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) of Defense or the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2), as appropriate, shall submit to Congress not later than 7 days after a decision to preempt under [subsection (a)](#a) of this section, a report that includes an explanation of the circumstances justifying the decision and a schedule for ensuring the prompt launching or reentry of a preempted [payload](/usc/51/50101.md?p=2).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1335, § 70109 of title 49; Pub. L. 105–303, title I, § 102(a)(9), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2849; renumbered § 70109 then § 50910 of title 51, Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(2), (3)(J), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3440, 3441.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 70109(a) | 49 App.:2614(b)(4)(A) (1st, last sentences). | Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L. 98–575, 98 Stat. 3055, § 15(b)(4); added Nov. 15, 1988, Pub. L. 100–657, § 7, 102 Stat. 3906. |
| 70109(b) | 49 App.:2614(b)(4)(A) (2d sentence). |  |
| 70109(c) | 49 App.:2614(b)(4)(B). |  |

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2010—Pub. L. 111–314 successively renumbered section 70109 of title 49 and section 70109 of this title as this section.

1998—Pub. L. 105–303, § 102(a)(9)(A), substituted “Preemption of scheduled launches or reentries” for “Preemption of scheduled launches” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–303, § 102(a)(9)(B), inserted “or reentry” after “ensure that a launch”, “, reentry site,” after “United States Government launch site”, “or reentry date commitment” after “launch date commitment”, “or reentry” after “obtained for a launch”, “, reentry site,” after “access to a launch site”, “, or services related to a reentry,” after “amount for launch services”, and “or reentry” after “the scheduled launch”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–303, § 102(a)(9)(C), inserted “or reentry” after “prompt launching”.