§ 100A.001.Definitions

Title 4. Liability in Tort · Chapter 100A. Limited Liability for Space Flight Activities · Last amended 2025 · Last verified August 29, 2026

In one sentenceSection 100A.001 defines the space flight terms, with "space flight entity" reaching suppliers, owners, landlords, and the municipalities and counties where activities occur.

Full Text of § 100A.001

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In this chapter:

(1)"Launch" means a placement or attempted placement of a launch vehicle and spacecraft, if any, in a suborbital trajectory, earth orbit, or outer space, including activities involved in the preparation of a launch vehicle or spacecraft for launch.

(1-a)"Launch vehicle" means any vehicle and its stages or components designed to operate in or place spacecraft, if any, in a suborbital trajectory, in earth orbit, or in outer space.

(2)"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.

(2-a)"Reentry vehicle" means any vehicle, including its stages or components, or spacecraft designed to return from earth orbit or outer space to earth, or a reusable launch vehicle designed to return from earth orbit or outer space to earth, substantially intact.

(2-b)"Spacecraft" has the meaning assigned by Section 507.001, Local Government Code.

(3)"Space flight activities" means activities and training in any phase of preparing for and undertaking space flight, including:

(A)the research, development, testing, or manufacture of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, or spacecraft;

(B)the preparation of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, payload, spacecraft, crew, or space flight participant for launch, space flight, and reentry;

(C)the conduct of the launch;

(D)conduct occurring between the launch and reentry;

(E)the preparation of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, payload, spacecraft, crew, or space flight participant for reentry;

(F)the conduct of reentry and descent;

(G)the conduct of the landing; and

(H)the conduct of postlanding recovery of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, payload, spacecraft, crew, or space flight participant.

(4)"Space flight entity" means a person who conducts space flight activities and who, to the extent required by federal law, has obtained the appropriate Federal Aviation Administration license or other authorization, including safety approval and a payload determination. The term includes:

(A)a manufacturer or supplier of components, services, spacecraft, launch vehicles, or reentry vehicles used by the entity and reviewed by the Federal Aviation Administration as part of issuing the license or other authorization;

(B)an employee, officer, director, owner, stockholder, member, manager, advisor, or partner of the entity, manufacturer, or supplier;

(C)an owner or lessor of real property on which space flight activities are conducted, including a municipality, county, political subdivision, or spaceport development corporation under Section 507.001, Local Government Code, in this state with a contractual relationship with a space flight entity; and

(D)a municipality, county, economic development organization, or other political subdivision in the territory or extraterritorial jurisdiction of which space flight activities are conducted.

(5)"Space flight participant" means an individual carried aboard a spacecraft, launch vehicle, or reentry vehicle.

(6)"Space flight participant injury" means an injury sustained by a space flight participant, including bodily injury, emotional distress, death, disability, property damage, or any other loss arising from the individual's participation in space flight activities.

(7)"Crew" means a human being who performs activities relating to the launch, reentry, or other operation of or in a spacecraft, launch vehicle, or reentry vehicle.

End

Plain-English Summary

Seven definitions, and the fourth is drawn far wider than the name suggests.

"Space flight entity" means a person who conducts space flight activities and who, to the extent federal law requires, has obtained the appropriate Federal Aviation Administration license or other authorization. The term includes:

a manufacturer or supplier of components, services, spacecraft, or vehicles used by the entity and reviewed by the FAA as part of the licensing; an employee, officer, director, owner, stockholder, member, manager, advisor, or partner of the entity, manufacturer, or supplier; an owner or lessor of real property on which activities are conducted, including a municipality, county, political subdivision, or spaceport development corporation with a contractual relationship; and a municipality, county, economic development organization, or other political subdivision in whose territory or extraterritorial jurisdiction the activities are conducted.

The fourth branch requires no contract at all. A county in whose extraterritorial jurisdiction a launch occurs is a space flight entity, and is protected as one.

"Space flight activities" lists eight phases from research, development, testing, or manufacture through launch, the period between launch and reentry, descent, landing, and postlanding recovery. The protection covers the whole programme, not the flight.

"Space flight participant" is an individual carried aboard, and "crew" is defined separately as a human being performing operational activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is a space flight entity in Texas?

A person conducting space flight activities with the required FAA authorization — including its FAA-reviewed suppliers, its officers and owners, the owner or lessor of the land, and the municipality or county in whose territory or extraterritorial jurisdiction the activities occur.

Does the local government need a contract?

Not under the fourth branch. A municipality, county, or political subdivision in whose territory or extraterritorial jurisdiction activities are conducted is included without one.

What activities are covered?

Eight phases, from research, development, testing, and manufacture through launch, the period in flight, reentry, descent, landing, and postlanding recovery.

Amendment History

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 3 (S.B. 115), Sec. 1, eff. April 21, 2011.
Amended by:
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 953 (H.B. 1791), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 649 (H.B. 4157), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2025.

Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from Texas Legislature Online (statutes.capitol.texas.gov). Enacted by the Texas Legislature. Current through May 14, 2026. Last verified August 29, 2026. · Official source