A fee is charged on each launch or reentry from 2026
What the document says“The Secretary of Transportation shall impose a fee, which shall be deposited in the account established under subsection (b), on each launch or reentry carried out under a license or permit issued under section 50904 during 2026 or a subsequent year, in an amount equal to the lesser of--”
The section adds a new section 50924 to chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code, requiring the Secretary of Transportation to charge a fee on each launch or reentry carried out under a license or permit issued under section 50904 during 2026 or later. The fee is the lesser of a per pound rate on the weight of the payload and a flat cap, both set by year in the two schedules.
What the document actually says“The Secretary of Transportation shall impose a fee, which shall be deposited in the account established under subsection (b), on each launch or reentry carried out under a license or permit issued under section 50904 during 2026 or a subsequent year, in an amount equal to the lesser of--”
The transport secretary must charge a fee. It applies to each launch and each return to Earth. It starts in 2026. It is the lower of the two figures set out below.
The fee goes into a new fund set up by this section. It only reaches launches under a federal license or permit. The lower of the two figures always wins.
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