---
kind: "section"
citation: "51 U.S.C. § 51101"
title: "51"
title_heading: "National and Commercial Space Programs"
number: "51101"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/51/51101"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Programs Targeting Commercial Opportunities"
  - "Chapter 511 — Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching Grants"
---

# §51101. Definitions


In this chapter—

- (1) the definitions in [section 50501 of this title](/usc/51/50501.md) apply.
- (2) “commercial space transportation infrastructure development” includes—
  - (A) construction, improvement, design, and engineering of [space transportation infrastructure](/usc/51/50501.md?p=12) in the [United States](/usc/51/50501.md?p=14); and
  - (B) technical studies to define how new or enhanced [space transportation infrastructure](/usc/51/50501.md?p=12) can best meet the needs of the [United States](/usc/51/50501.md?p=14) [commercial](/usc/51/50501.md?p=3) space transportation industry.
- (3) “project” means a project (or separate projects submitted together) to carry out [commercial space transportation infrastructure development](#2), including the combined submission of all projects to be undertaken at a particular site in a fiscal year.
- (4) “project grant” means a grant of an amount by the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) of Transportation to a [sponsor](#6) for one or more [projects](#3).
- (5) “public agency” means a [State](/usc/51/50101.md?p=6) or an [agency](/usc/51/50501.md?p=1) of a [State](/usc/51/50101.md?p=6), a political subdivision of a [State](/usc/51/50101.md?p=6), or a tax-supported organization.
- (6) “sponsor” means a [public agency](#5) that, individually or jointly with one or more other [public agencies](#5), submits to the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) under this chapter an application for a [project grant](#4).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1343, § 70301 of title 49; renumbered § 70301 then § 51101 of title 51 and amended Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(2), (4)(A), (6)(A), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3440–3442.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 70301 | 15:5804(a). | Nov. 4, 1992, Pub. L. 102–588, § 505(a), 106 Stat. 5124. |

Clause (1) is added to incorporate the definitions in 15:5802.

In clause (2), the word “includes” is substituted for “may include” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code.

In clause (5), the words “municipality or other” are omitted for consistency.

The text of 15:5804(5) is omitted as unnecessary because the complete name of the Secretary of Transportation is used the first time the term appears in a section.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2010—Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(2), (4)(A), successively renumbered section 70301 of title 49 and section 70301 of this title as this section.

Par. (1). Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(6)(A), substituted “section 50501 of this title” for “section 502 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1993 (15 U.S.C. 5802)”.