20 Category XV—Spacecraft Systems and Associated Equipment
(a) Spacecraft, including communications satellites and space vehicles, whether designated developmental, experimental, research, or scientific, or having a commercial, civil, or military end‑use, that:
(1) are specially designed to mitigate effects (for example, scintillation) of or for detection of a nuclear detonation;
(2) autonomously track ground, airborne, missile, or space objects in real‑time using imaging, infrared, radar, or laser systems;
(3) conduct signals intelligence (SIGINT) or measurement and signatures intelligence (MASINT);
(4) are specially designed to be used in a constellation or formation that when operated together, in essence or effect, form a virtual satellite (for example, functioning as if one satellite) with the characteristics or functions of other items in paragraph (a);
(5) are anti‑satellite or anti‑spacecraft (for example, kinetic, RF, laser, charged particle);
(6) have space‑to‑ground weapons systems (for example, kinetic or directed energy);
(7) have any of the following electro‑optical remote sensing capabilities or characteristics:
(i) electro‑optical visible and near infrared (VNIR) (that is, 400nm to 1,000nm) or infrared (that is, greater than 1,000nm to 30,000nm) with less than 40 spectral bands and having a clear aperture greater than 0.35 metres;
(ii) electro‑optical hyperspectral with 40 spectral bands or more in the VNIR, short‑wavelength infrared (SWIR) (that is, greater than 1,000nm to 2,500nm) or any combination of the aforementioned and having a Ground Sample Distance (GSD) less than 30 metres;
(iii) electro‑optical hyperspectral with 40 spectral bands or more in the mid‑wavelength infrared (MWIR) (that is, greater than 2,500nm to 5,500nm) having a narrow spectral bandwidth of Δλ less than or equal to 20nm full width at half maximum (FWHM) or having a wide spectral bandwidth with Δλ greater than 20nm FWHM and a GSD less than 200 metres;
(iv) electro‑optical hyperspectral with 40 spectral bands or more in the long‑wavelength infrared (LWIR) (that is, greater than 5,500nm to 30,000nm) having a narrow spectral bandwidth of Δλ less than or equal to 50nm FWHM or having a wide spectral bandwidth with Δλ greater than 50nm FWHM and a GSD less than 500 metres;
(8) have radar remote sensing capabilities or characteristics (for example, active electronically scanned array (AESA), synthetic aperture radar (SAR), inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR), ultra‑wideband SAR), except those having a centre frequency equal to or greater than 1 GHz but less than or equal to 10 GHz and having a bandwidth less than 300 MHz;
(9) provide Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) signals;
(10) provide space‑based logistics, surveillance, assembly, repair, or servicing of any spacecraft (for example, refuelling) and have integrated propulsion other than that required for attitude control;
(11) provide for sub‑orbital or in‑space human habitation and have integrated propulsion other than that required for attitude control;
(12) that are not commercial communications satellites and that have integrated propulsion other than for attitude control or achieving initial orbit;
(13) are classified, contain classified software or hardware, are manufactured using classified production data, or are being developed using classified information (for example, having classified requirements, specifications, functions, or operational characteristics or include classified cryptographic items controlled under Category XIII of this list).
Note 1: This paragraph does not control the International Space Station (ISS) and its specially designed parts and components.
Note 2: Attitude control is the exercise of control over spacecraft orientation (for example, pointing) within an orbital plane, which may include orbit maintenance using the attitude control thrusters.
Note 3: Subparagraph (7)—Ground Sample Distance (GSD) is measured from a spacecraft's nadir (that is, local vertical) position.
Note 4: Subparagraph (7)—optical remote sensing spacecraft or satellite spectral bandwidth is the smallest difference in wavelength (that is, Δλ) that can be distinguished at full width at half maximum (FWHM) of wavelength λ.
Note 5: Subparagraph (7)—an optical satellite or spacecraft is not Significant Military Equipment.
Note 6: Subparagraph (9)—this subparagraph does not control a satellite or spacecraft that provides only a differential correction broadcast for the purposes of positioning, navigation, or timing.
(b) Ground control systems or training simulators, specially designed for telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C) of spacecraft in paragraph (a)).
(c) Global Positioning System (GPS) receiving equipment specifically designed for military application or GPS receiving equipment with any of the following characteristics, and specifically designed parts and components therefor:
(1) specially designed for encryption or decryption (for example, Y‑Code) of GPS precise positioning service (PPS) signals (MT if designed or modified for airborne applications);
(2) [Reserved]
(3) specifically designed for use with a null steering antenna, an electronically steerable antenna or including a null steering antenna designed to reduce or avoid jamming signals (MT if designed or modified for airborne applications);
(4) specially designed for use with rockets, missiles, SLVs, drones or unmanned air vehicle systems capable of delivering at least a 500 kg payload to a range of at least 300 km (MT if designed or modified for rockets, missiles, SLVs, drones or unmanned air vehicle systems controlled in this list).
Note: Subparagraph (4)—“Payload” is the total mass that can be carried or delivered by the specified rocket, missile, SLV, drone or unmanned aerial vehicle that is not used to maintain flight. For the definition of “range” as it pertains to rocket systems, see note 1 to paragraph (a) of Category IV. For the definition of “range” as it pertains to aircraft systems, see note 2 to paragraph (a) of Category VIII.
(e) Spacecraft parts, components, accessories, attachments, equipment, or systems, as follows:
(1) antenna systems specially designed for spacecraft that:
(i) have a dimension greater than 25 metres in diametre or length of the major axis; or
(ii) employ active electronic scanning; or
(iii) are adaptive beam forming; or
(iv) are for interferometric radar;
(2) space‑qualified optics (that is, lens or mirror), including optical coating, having active properties (for example, adaptive, deformable) with a largest lateral clear aperture dimension greater than 0.35 metres;
(3) space‑qualified focal plane arrays (FPA) having a peak response in the wavelength range exceeding 900nm and readout integrated circuit (ROIC), whether separate or integrated, specially designed therefor;
(4) space‑qualified mechanical (that is, active) cryocooler or active cold finger, and associated control electronics specially designed therefor;
(5) space‑qualified active vibration suppression, including active isolation and active dampening, and associated control electronics therefor;
(6) optical bench assemblies specially designed to enable spacecraft to meet or exceed the parameters described in paragraph (a);
(7) space‑qualified kinetic or directed‑energy systems (for example, RF, laser, charged particle) specially designed for spacecraft in paragraph (a)(5) or (6), and specially designed parts and components therefor (for example, power conditioning and beam‑handling/switching, propagation, tracking, and pointing equipment);
(8) [Reserved]
(9) space‑qualified cesium, rubidium, hydrogen maser, or quantum (for example, based upon Al, Hg, Yb, Sr, Be Ions) atomic clocks, and specially designed parts and components therefor;
(10) attitude determination and control systems, and specially designed parts and components therefor, that provide a spacecraft's geolocation accuracy, without using Ground Location Points, better than or equal to:
(i) 5 metres (CE90) from low earth orbit (LEO); or
(ii) 30 metres (CE90) from medium earth orbit (MEO); or
(iii) 150 metres (CE90) from geosynchronous orbit (GEO); or
(iv) 225 metres (CE90) from high earth orbit (HEO);
(11) space‑based systems, and specially designed parts and components therefor, as follows:
(i) nuclear reactors and associated power conversion systems (for example, liquid metal or gas‑cooled fast reactors);
(ii) radioisotope‑based power systems (for example, radioisotope thermoelectric generators);
(iii) nuclear thermal propulsion systems (for example, solid core, liquid core, gas core fission);
(iv) plasma based propulsion systems;
(12) thrusters (for example, rocket engines) that provide greater than 150 lbf (that is, 667.23 N) vacuum thrust (MT for rocket motors or engines having a total impulse capacity equal to or greater than 8.41x10^5 newton seconds);
(13) control moment gyroscope (CMG) specially designed for spacecraft;
(14) space‑qualified monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC) that combine transmit and receive (T/R) functions on a single die as follows:
(i) having a power amplifier with maximum saturated peak output power (in watts), Psat, greater than 200 divided by the maximum operating frequency (in GHz) squared [Psat >200 W*GHz2/fGHz2];
(ii) having a common path (for example, phase shifter‑digital attenuator) circuit with greater than 3 bits phase shifting at operating frequencies 10 GHz or below, or greater than 4 bits phase shifting at operating frequencies above 10 GHz;
(15) space‑qualified oscillator for radar in paragraph (a) of this category with phase noise less than −120 dBc/Hz + (20 log10(RF) (in GHz)) measured at 2 KHz*RF (in GHz) from carrier;
(16) space‑qualified star tracker or star sensor with angular accuracy less than or equal to 1 arcsec (1‑Sigma) per star coordinate, and a tracking rate equal to or greater than 3.0 deg/sec, and specially designed parts and components therefore (MT);
(17) primary, secondary or hosted payload that performs any of the functions described in paragraph (a);
(18) secondary or hosted payload, and specially designed parts and components therefor, developed with US Government funding;
(19) spacecraft heat shields or heat sinks specially designed for atmospheric entry or re‑entry, and specially designed parts and components therefor (MT if usable in rockets, SLVs, missiles, drones or UAVs capable of delivering a payload of at least 500 kg to a range of at least 300 km);
(20) equipment modules, stages, or compartments that contain propulsion other than that required for attitude control and can be separated or jettisoned from another spacecraft (see note 2 to paragraph (a));
(21) any part, component, accessory, attachment, equipment, or system that:
(ii) contains classified software; or
Note 1: For the purposes of this paragraph, an article is space‑qualified if it is designed, manufactured, or qualified through successful testing, for operation at altitudes greater than 100 km above the surface of the Earth. The use of an altitude of 100 km above the surface of the Earth in this paragraph does not represent a legal demarcation between national air space and outer space under United States or international law.
Note 2: (1) A determination that a specific article (or commodity) (for example, by product serial number) is space‑qualified by virtue of testing alone does not mean that other articles in the same production run or model series are space‑qualified if not individually tested. (2) A specific article not designed or manufactured for use at altitudes greater than 100 km above the surface of the Earth is not space‑qualified before it is successfully tested. (3) The terms “designed” and “manufactured” in this definition are synonymous with “specially designed.”
Note 3: “Payload” is the total mass that can be carried or delivered by the specified rocket, SLV, missile, drone, or UAV that is not used to maintain flight. For the definition of “range” as it pertains to aircraft systems, see note 2 to paragraph (a) of Category VIII. For the definition of “range” as it pertains to rocket systems, see note 1 to paragraph (a) of Category IV.
Note 4: Subparagraph (17)—primary payload is that complement of equipment designed from the outset to accomplish the prime mission function of the spacecraft payload mission set. The primary payload may operate independently from the secondary payload(s). Secondary payload is that complement of equipment designed from the outset to be fully integrated into the spacecraft payload mission set. The secondary payload may operate separately from the primary payload. Hosted payload is a complement of equipment or sensors that uses the available or excess capacity (mass, volume, power, etc.) of a spacecraft to accommodate an additional, independent mission. The hosted payload may share the spacecraft bus support infrastructure. The hosted payload performs an additional, independent mission which does not dictate control or operation of the spacecraft. A hosted payload is not capable of operating as an independent spacecraft. Spacecraft bus (distinct from the spacecraft payload), provides the support infrastructure of the spacecraft (for example, command and data handling, communications and antenna(s), electrical power, propulsion, thermal control, attitude and orbit control, guidance, navigation and control, structure and truss, life support (for crewed mission)) and location (for example, attachment, interface) for the spacecraft payload. Spacecraft payload is that complement of equipment attached to the spacecraft bus that performs a particular mission in space (for example, communications, observation, science).
Note 5: Subparagraph (17)—all spacecraft that incorporate primary or secondary payloads that perform a function described in paragraph (a) are controlled by that paragraph.
Note 6: Subparagraph (18)—this subparagraph does not control payloads that are identified in the relevant United States Government contract or other funding authorisation or agreement as being developed for both military and either civil or commercial applications.
Note 7: Subparagraph (18)—this subparagraph applies only to those contracts or funding authorisations or agreements that are dated 13 May 2015, or later.
(f) Technical data and defence services directly related to the articles described in paragraphs (a) to (e) and classified technical data. Defence services include the furnishing of assistance (including training) in the integration of a satellite or spacecraft to a launch vehicle, including both planning and onsite support, regardless of the jurisdiction, ownership, or origin of the satellite or spacecraft, or whether technical data is used. It also includes the furnishing of assistance (including training) in the launch failure analysis of a satellite or spacecraft, regardless of the jurisdiction, ownership, or origin of the satellite of spacecraft, or whether technical data is used (MT for technical data and defence services related to articles designated as such).
Note 1: Activities and technology/technical data directly related to or required for the spaceflight (for example, sub‑orbital, orbital, lunar, interplanetary, or otherwise beyond Earth orbit) passenger or participant experience, regardless of whether the passenger or participant experience is for space tourism, scientific or commercial research, commercial manufacturing/production activities, educational, media, or commercial transportation purposes, are not subject to export controls. Such activities and technology/technical data include those directly related to or required for:
(a) spacecraft access, ingress, and egress, including the operation of all spacecraft doors, hatches, and airlocks; or
(b) physiological training (for example, human‑rated centrifuge training or parabolic flights, pressure suit or spacesuit training/operation); or
(c) medical evaluation or assessment of the spaceflight passenger or participant; or
(d) training for and operation by the passenger or participant of health and safety related hardware (for example, seating, environmental control and life support, hygiene facilities, food preparation, exercise equipment, fire suppression, communications equipment, safety‑related clothing or headgear) or emergency procedures; or
(e) viewing of the interior and exterior of the spacecraft or terrestrial mock‑ups; or
(f) observing spacecraft operations (for example, pre‑flight checks, landing, in‑flight status); or
(g) training in spacecraft or terrestrial mock‑ups for connecting to or operating passenger or participant equipment used for purposes other than operating the spacecraft; or
(h) donning, wearing, or utilising the passenger's or participant's flight suit, pressure suit, or spacesuit, and personal equipment.
Note 2: This paragraph does not control the data transmitted to or from a satellite or spacecraft, whether real or simulated, when limited to information about the health, operational status, or function of, or measurements or raw sensor output from, the spacecraft, spacecraft payload(s), or their associated subsystems or components. Examples of such data and technology, which are commonly referred to as “housekeeping data,” include:
(a) system, hardware, component configuration, and operation status information pertaining to temperatures, pressures, power, currents, voltages, and battery charges; and
(b) spacecraft or payload orientation or position information, such as state vector or ephemeris information; and
(c) payload raw mission or science output, such as images, spectra, particle measurements, or field measurements; and
(d) command responses; and
(e) accurate timing information; and
(f) link budget data. The act of processing such telemetry data—that is, converting raw data into engineering units or readable products—or encrypting it does not, in and of itself, cause the telemetry data to become subject to export controls. All classified technical data directly related to items controlled in Category XV, and defence services using the classified technical data, remain subject to export controls.
Note 3: Note 2 does not affect controls in paragraph (f) on software source code or commands that control a spacecraft, payload, or associated subsystem.
(g) ‑ (w) [Reserved]
(x) Commodities, software and technology used in or with defence articles controlled in this category.
Note: Use of this paragraph is limited to exports of defense articles controlled in this category where the purchase documentation includes commodities, software or technology.