---
kind: "section"
citation: "51 U.S.C. § 51501"
title: "51"
title_heading: "National and Commercial Space Programs"
number: "51501"
heading: "Establishment of Office of Spaceports"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/51/51501"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Programs Targeting Commercial Opportunities"
  - "Chapter 515 — Office of Spaceports"
---

# §51501. Establishment of Office of Spaceports

- (a) **Establishment of Office.—** Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) of Transportation shall identify, within the Office of [Commercial](/usc/51/50501.md?p=3) Space Transportation, a centralized policy office to be known as the Office of Spaceports.
- (b) **Functions.—** The Office of Spaceports shall—
  - (1) support licensing activities for operation of [launch](/usc/51/50501.md?p=5) and [reentry sites](/usc/51/50902.md?p=18);
  - (2) develop policies that promote infrastructure improvements at spaceports;
  - (3) provide technical assistance and guidance to spaceports;
  - (4) promote [United States](/usc/51/50501.md?p=14) spaceports within the Department; and
  - (5) strengthen the Nation’s competitiveness in [commercial](/usc/51/50501.md?p=3) [space transportation infrastructure](/usc/51/50501.md?p=12) and increase resilience for the Federal Government and [commercial](/usc/51/50501.md?p=3) customers.
- (c) **Recognition.—** In carrying out the functions assigned in [subsection (b)](#b), the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) shall recognize the unique needs and distinctions of spaceports that host—[^1]
  - (1) [launches](/usc/51/50501.md?p=5) to or reentries from orbit; and
  - (2) are involved in suborbital [launch](/usc/51/50501.md?p=5) activities.
- (d) **Director.—** The head of the Office of the Associate [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) for [Commercial](/usc/51/50501.md?p=3) Space Transportation shall designate a Director of the Office of Spaceports.
- (e) **Definition.—** In this section the term “spaceport” means a [launch](/usc/51/50501.md?p=5) or [reentry site](/usc/51/50902.md?p=18) that is operated by an entity licensed by the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) of Transportation.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. The dash probably should follow “that” and the word “host” probably should appear at the beginning of par. (1).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title V, § 580(b)(1), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3395.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (a), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 115–254, which was approved Oct. 5, 2018.