                        TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
 
                      CHAPTER 4--TARIFF ACT OF 1930
 
                 SUBTITLE III--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
 
       Part III--Ascertainment, Collection, and Recovery of Duties
 
Sec. 1484a. Articles returned from space not to be construed as 
        importation
        
    The return of articles from space shall not be considered an 
importation, and an entry of such articles shall not be required, if:
        (1) such articles were previously launched into space from the 
    customs territory of the United States aboard a spacecraft operated 
    by, or under the control of, United States persons and owned--
            (A) wholly by United States persons, or
            (B) in substantial part by United States persons, or
            (C) by the United States;

        (2) such articles were maintained or utilized while in space 
    solely on board such spacecraft or aboard another spacecraft which 
    meets the requirements of paragraph (1)(A) through (C) of this 
    section; and
        (3) such articles were returned to the customs territory 
    directly from space aboard such spacecraft or aboard another 
    spacecraft which meets the requirements of paragraph (1)(A) through 
    (C) of this section;

without regard to whether such articles have been advanced in value or 
improved in condition by any process of manufacture or other means while 
in space.

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, Sec. 484a, as added Pub. L. 98-573, 
title II, Sec. 209(a), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2976.)


                             Effective Date

    Section applicable with respect to articles launched into space from 
the customs territory of the United States on or after Jan. 1, 1985, see 
section 214(c)(4) of Pub. L. 98-573, set out as an Effective Date of 
1984 Amendment note under section 1304 of this title.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 1202 of this title.
