1. (a) Policy.— It is the policy of the United States for the President to undertake actions appropriate to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that the United States has the capabilities necessary to launch and insert United States national security payloads into space whenever such payloads are needed in space.

2. (b) Included Actions.— The appropriate actions referred to in subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, providing resources and policy guidance to sustain—

   1. (1) the availability of at least two space launch vehicles (or families of space launch vehicles) capable of delivering into space any payload designated by the Secretary of Defense or the Director of National Intelligence as a national security payload; and
   2. (2) a robust space launch infrastructure and industrial base.
3. (c) Coordination.— The Secretary of Defense shall, to the maximum extent practicable, pursue the attainment of the capabilities described in subsection (a) in coordination with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

(Added Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title IX, § 912(a)(1), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1565; Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title IX, § 931(a)(12), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 285; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title IX, § 932(a)(11), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4576; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title X, § 1073(c)(10), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2475.)

Prior Provisions A prior section 2273, acts Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 125; Apr. 2, 1982, Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 160(a)(4), 96 Stat. 48; Oct. 29, 1992, Pub. L. 102–572, title IX, § 902(b)(1), 106 Stat. 4516, related to right of United States to designs, rights of designers to patents, and rights to sue United States, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title VIII, § 821(a)(1), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1704.

Amendments 2009—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 111–84 repealed Pub. L. 110–417, § 932(a)(11). See 2008 Amendment note below.

2008—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 110–181 and Pub. L. 110–417, § 932(a)(11), amended par. (1) identically, substituting “Director of National Intelligence” for “Director of Central Intelligence”. Pub. L. 110–417, § 932(a)(11), was repealed by Pub. L. 111–84.

Effective Date of 2009 Amendment Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title X, § 1073(c), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2474, provided that the amendment made by section 1073(c)(10) is effective as of Oct. 14, 2008, and as if included in Pub. L. 110–417 as enacted.