2018 Georgia Code
Title 51 - Torts
Chapter 3 - Liability of Owners and Occupiers of Land
Article 4 - Liability of Space Flight Entities
§ 51-3-41. Definitions
- As used in this article, the term:
(1) "Crew member" means any employee of a space flight entity or any contractor or subcontractor of a space flight entity who performs activities directly relating to the launch, reentry, or other operation of or in a spacecraft, launch vehicle, or reentry vehicle.
(2) "Launch" means a placement or attempted placement of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, or spacecraft in a suborbital trajectory, in Earth orbit, or in outer space, including activities involved in the preparation of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, or spacecraft for such placement or attempted placement.
(3) "Launch vehicle" means any contrivance and its stages or components designed to operate or place a spacecraft in a suborbital trajectory, in Earth orbit, or in outer space.
(4) "Local government" means a county, municipal corporation, or consolidated government of the State of Georgia.
(5) "Local governmental unit" means a local government and any office, agency, department, commission, board, body, division, instrumentality, or institution thereof.
(6) "Person" means an individual, proprietorship, corporation, firm, partnership, association, or other such entity.
(7) "Reentry" means a return or attempt to return of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, or spacecraft from a suborbital trajectory, from Earth orbit, or from outer space to Earth, including activities involved in the recovery of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, or spacecraft.
(8) "Reentry vehicle" means any contrivance and its stages or components designed to return from Earth orbit or outer space to Earth substantially intact. The term "reentry vehicle" shall include a reusable launch vehicle.
(9) "Reusable launch vehicle" means a launch vehicle that is designed to return to Earth substantially intact for use in more than one launch or that contains vehicle stages that may be recovered for future use in the operation of a substantially similar launch vehicle.
(10) "Spacecraft" means any object and its components designed to be launched for operations in a suborbital trajectory, in Earth orbit, or in outer space, including, but not limited to, a satellite, a payload, an object carrying a crew member or space flight participant, and any subcomponents of the launch vehicle or reentry vehicle specifically designed or adapted for such object.
(11) "Space flight activities" means activities and training in any phase of preparing for or undertaking space flight, including, but not limited to, the:
(A) Preparation of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, payload, spacecraft, crew member, or space flight participant for launch, space flight, or reentry;
(B) Conduct of the launch;
(C) Conduct occurring between the launch and reentry;
(D) Conduct of reentry and descent;
(E) Conduct of the landing;
(F) Conduct of post landing recovery of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, payload, spacecraft, crew member, or space flight participant; and
(G) Conduct of embarking or disembarking of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, payload, spacecraft, crew member, or space flight participant.
(12) "Space flight entity" means:
(A) A person which conducts space flight activities and which, to the extent required by federal law, has obtained the appropriate Federal Aviation Administration license or other authorization, including any safety approval and a payload determination that may be required under federal law or the laws of the State of Georgia;
(B) A manufacturer or supplier of components, services, spacecrafts, launch vehicles, or reentry vehicles used in space flight activities;
(C) An employee, officer, director, owner, stockholder, member, manager, advisor, or partner of the entity, manufacturer, or supplier;
(D) An owner or lessor of real property on which space flight activities are conducted;
(E) A state agency or local governmental unit with a contractual relationship with any person described in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of this paragraph; or
(F) A state agency or local governmental unit having jurisdiction in the territory in which space flight activities are conducted.
(13) "Space flight participant" means an individual who:
(A) Is not a crew member; and
(B)
(i) Is carried aboard a spacecraft, launch vehicle, or reentry vehicle; or
(ii) Has indicated a desire to be carried aboard a spacecraft, launch vehicle, or reentry vehicle as demonstrated by paying any deposit or fee required, if any, to be carried aboard a spacecraft, launch vehicle, or reentry vehicle or by participating in any training program or orientation session that may be required by a space flight entity.
(14) "Space flight participant injury" means harm or damage sustained by a space flight participant, including bodily harm, emotional distress, death, disability, or any other loss.
(15) "State agency" means any department, commission, or other institution of the executive branch of the government of the State of Georgia.
(16) "This state" means the State of Georgia, all land and water over which it has either exclusive or concurrent jurisdiction, and the airspace above such land and water.
