Space Launch Noise Mitigation Study Act
Space Launch Noise Mitigation Study Act would require the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment to complete, within one year of enactment, a study on the feasibility of establishing a Space Launch Noise Mitigation Grant Program to help communities affected by noise from Department of Defense space launch activities. The study would examine funding needs, eligible locations, mitigation technologies and their costs, and practical ways the Space Force could coordinate with communities to lessen disturbances. It would also consider an outreach program to educate nearby communities about the benefits of space activity. The bill frames this effort as part of maintaining a robust and competitive space-launch sector while acknowledging potential noise impacts on nearby populations. The bill is a feasibility study, not a funding authorization. If the study supports a grant program, Congress could later authorize funding and create a formal grant program administered by the Department of Defense, with a defined set of eligible communities and facilities. The legislation emphasizes measuring noise impacts using specific technical metrics and consulting with Space Launch Delta 30 and Space Launch Delta 45 in its analysis.
Key Points
- 1Directs a one-year study by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment on the feasibility of a space launch noise mitigation grant program for affected communities.
- 2Requires assessment of funding needs, geographic eligibility, mitigation technologies and their costs, and how the Space Force could collaborate with communities to reduce noise disturbances.
- 3Defines “covered facilities” (non-federal, pre-2026, including hospitals, schools, daycare, senior facilities, or private residences) and “eligible communities” (local government areas determined to be negatively affected by DoD space launch noise).
- 4Calls for recommendations on a community outreach program to educate nearby populations about the benefits of space activities and on improvements to interagency collaboration.
- 5Specifies detailed noise and data considerations for the study, including C-weighted and A-weighted sound levels, PK 15, sonic booms, monitoring data, literature review, and data from federal ranges with launches in 2024 and beyond; requires consultation with Space Launch Delta 30 and Space Launch Delta 45.