United States 118th Congress ✓ Enacted · P.L. 118-85 1 R cosponsors

S 1648 — Launch Communications Act

Last action — Became Public Law No: 118-85.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced May 17, 2023. Enacted.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 52% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Launch Communications ActThis act requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to facilitate access to specified broadband spectrum frequencies for commercial space launches and reentries.Under current law, commercial missions launching from the United States to space must use government-owned spectrum to communicate with the rockets during launch, and private companies must apply to the FCC to receive special temporary authority to use such spectrum. On June 28, 2021, the FCC issued a final rule adopting a nonfederal secondary allocation of the 2200-2290 megahertz frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum for use during commercial space launches and reentries.The act requires the FCC to (1) adopt service rules for access to additional frequencies for commercial space launches and reentries and complete associated rulemaking activities (e.g., those that set technical specifications and eligibility requirements), and (2) allocate the frequencies.The FCC must also streamline the process for access authorizations, including by providing for (1) authorizations to access specified frequencies for multiple commercial space launches and reentries from one or more federal or private launch or reentry sites, (2) authorizations for multiple uses of such frequencies for a commercial space launch or reentry, (3) electronic filing and processing of access applications, and (4) improved coordination between the FCC and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to increase the speed of the review of such applications.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

61 added · 53 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment specifies that coordination procedures for commercial space launches and reentries should be established and requires coordination with the Assistant Secretary regarding frequency access. It removes the earlier timeline of 180 days for the Commission to issue regulations aimed at streamlining the authorization process for these frequency accesses. This change means the focus is now more on immediate coordination efforts rather than a broader regulation timeline, potentially expediting the ability of companies to gain access to necessary frequencies for their operations.

→
Previous
Latest
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress] [From the U.S.
[118th Congress Public Law 85] [From the U.S.
Government Publishing Office] [S.
Government Publishing Office] [[Page 1545]] LAUNCH COMMUNICATIONS ACT [[Page 138 STAT.
1648 Engrossed in Senate (ES)] <DOC> 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
1546]] Public Law 118-85 118th Congress An Act To facilitate access to the electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries, and for other purposes.
1648 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To facilitate access to the electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries, and for other purposes.
<<NOTE:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.
Sept.
26, 2024 - [S.
1648]>> Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE:
Launch Communications Act.
47 USC 303 note.>> SECTION 1.
Allocation.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall-- (A) complete any proceeding in effect as of such date of enactment related to the adoption of service rules for access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries, including technical specifications, eligibility requirements, and coordination procedures to preserve the defense capabilities of the United States;
Allocation.-- (1) <<NOTE:
Deadline.>> In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall-- (A) complete any proceeding in effect as of such date of enactment related to the adoption of service rules for access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries, including technical specifications, eligibility requirements, and coordination procedures to preserve the defense capabilities of the United States;
(2) Coordination with national telecommunications and information administration.--The coordination procedures adopted under paragraph (1)(A) shall include requirements for persons conducting commercial space launches and commercial space reentries to coordinate with the Assistant Secretary regarding access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.
(2) Coordination with national telecommunications and information administration.-- <<NOTE:
Requirements.>> The coordination procedures adopted under paragraph (1)(A) shall include requirements for persons conducting commercial space launches and commercial space reentries to coordinate with the Assistant Secretary regarding access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.
(b) Streamlining of Process for Granting Authorizations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue new regulations to streamline the process for granting authorizations for access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries so as to provide for-- (1) authorizations that include access to such frequencies for multiple commercial space launches from 1 or more Federal space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to 1 or more Federal space reentry sites;
(b) Streamlining of Process for Granting Authorizations.-- <<NOTE:
Deadline.
Regulations.>> Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue new regulations to streamline the process for granting authorizations for access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries so as to provide for-- [[Page 138 STAT.
1547]] (1) authorizations that include access to such frequencies for multiple commercial space launches from 1 or more Federal space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to 1 or more Federal space reentry sites;
(3) Commercial space reentry.--The term ``commercial space reentry'' means a reentry licensed under chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code.
[[Page 138 STAT.
1548]] (3) Commercial space reentry.--The term ``commercial space reentry'' means a reentry licensed under chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code.
Passed the Senate October 31, 2023.
Approved September 26, 2024.
Attest:
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S.
Secretary.
1648 (H.R.
118th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
682):
1648 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To facilitate access to the electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries, and for other purposes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOUSE REPORTS:
No.
118-156 (Comm.
on Energy and Commerce) accompanying H.R.
682.
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol.
169 (2023):
Oct.
31, considered and passed Senate.
Vol.
170 (2024):
Sept.
17, considered and passed House.
<all>
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (5)

Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

  3. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.

  4. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with amendments. Without written report.

  5. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with amendments. Without written report.

  6. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 209.

  7. Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S5266-5267; text: CR S5267)

  8. Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5266-5267; text: CR S5267)

  9. Message on Senate action sent to the House.

  10. Received in the House.

  11. Held at the desk.

  12. Mrs. Rodgers (WA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

  13. Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5309-5310)

  14. DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1648.

  15. Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5309)

  16. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5309)

  17. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  18. Presented to President.

  19. Presented to President.

  20. Signed by President.

  21. Signed by President.

  22. Became Public Law No: 118-85.

  23. Became Public Law No: 118-85.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 546 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (546)

546 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 546 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

technology
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does S 1648 do?
Launch Communications ActThis act requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to facilitate access to specified broadband spectrum frequencies for commercial space launches and reentries.Under current law, commercial missions launching from the United States to space must use government-owned spectrum to communicate with the rockets during launch, and private companies must apply to the FCC to receive special temporary authority to use such spectrum. On June 28, 2021, the FCC issued a final rule adopting a nonfederal secondary allocation of the 2200-2290 megahertz frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum for use during commercial space launches and reentries.The act requires the FCC to (1) adopt service rules for access to additional frequencies for commercial space launches and reentries and complete associated rulemaking activities (e.g., those that set technical specifications and eligibility requirements), and (2) allocate the frequencies.The FCC must also streamline the process for access authorizations, including by providing for (1) authorizations to access specified frequencies for multiple commercial space launches and reentries from one or more federal or private launch or reentry sites, (2) authorizations for multiple uses of such frequencies for a commercial space launch or reentry, (3) electronic filing and processing of access applications, and (4) improved coordination between the FCC and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to increase the speed of the review of such applications.
Who sponsors S 1648?
S 1648 is sponsored by Schmitt, Eric (Republican).
What is the current status of S 1648?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced May 17, 2023. Enacted.
Where can I track S 1648?
Track S 1648 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on S 1648

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of S 1648

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →