S.Amdt. 2780

This amendment aims to replace section 40004 of the bill to create a system for space launch and reentry user fees. The goal is to establish a process for charging fees on launches or reentries that use licenses or experimental permits.

Key Changes and Additions:

• Fee Proposal: The Secretary of Transportation must submit a proposal by June 1, 2026, for fees to be charged during 2027 and later. This proposal must include separate fee categories for:

  • Experimental permits.
  • Suborbital launch licenses.
  • Orbital launch licenses.
  • Reentry licenses.

• Fee Rules: The proposal must ensure operators are only charged the higher of the launch or reentry fee if both happen in one mission. It also requires provisions for fee refunds if licenses or modifications take too long to be issued. Federal agencies contracting for these services can request fee waivers.

• Revenue and Funding: The fees are designed to generate specific annual revenue starting at $2,000,000 in 2027 and increasing to $18,000,000 by 2033. These funds will be placed in a new account called the Office of Commercial Space Transportation Launch and Reentry Licensing and Permitting Fund.

• Oversight:

  • The appropriate committees of Congress must review and approve or reject the fee structure by October 1, 2026.
  • The Secretary of Transportation must provide an annual report starting January 1, 2028.
  • The Comptroller General must start a review by January 1, 2030, to see if the fees meet congressional intent and if they harm the commercial space industry's safety, innovation, growth, or competitiveness.