Cross-waiver of Liability for Science or Space Exploration Activities Unrelated to the International Space Station (OCT 2012)

(a) The purpose of this clause is to extend a cross-waiver of liability to NASA contracts for work done in support of Agreements between Parties involving Science or Space Exploration activities that are not related to the International Space Station (ISS) but involve a launch. This cross-waiver of liability shall be broadly construed to achieve the objective of furthering participation in space exploration, use, and investment.

(b) As used in this clause, the term:

(1) “Agreement” refers to any NASA Space Act agreement that contains the cross-waiver of liability provision authorized in 14 CFR 1266.104.

(2) “Damage” means:

(i) Bodily injury to, or other impairment of health of, or death of, any person;

(ii) Damage to, loss of, or loss of use of any property;

(iii) Loss of revenue or profits; or

(iv) Other direct, indirect, or consequential Damage;

(3) “Launch Vehicle” means an object, or any part thereof, intended for launch, launched from Earth, or returning to Earth which carries Payloads or persons, or both.

(4) “Party” means a party to a NASA Space Act agreement for Science or Space Exploration activities unrelated to the ISS that involve a launch and a party that is neither the prime contractor under this contract nor a subcontractor at any tier hereof.

(5) “Payload” means all property to be flown or used on or in a Launch Vehicle.

(6) “Protected Space Operations” means all Launch or Transfer Vehicle activities and Payload activities on Earth, in outer space, or in transit between Earth and outer space in implementation of an Agreement for Science or Space Exploration activities unrelated to the ISS that involve a launch. Protected Space Operations begins at the signature of the Agreement and ends when all activities done in implementation of the Agreement are completed. It includes, but is not limited to:

(i) Research, design, development, test, manufacture, assembly, integration, operation, or use of Launch or Transfer Vehicles, Payloads, or instruments, as well as related support equipment and facilities and services; and

(ii) All activities related to ground support, test, training, simulation, or guidance and control equipment, and related facilities or services.

Protected Space Operations excludes activities on Earth which are conducted on return from space to develop further a payload's product or process other than for the activities within the scope of an Agreement.

(7) “Related entity” means:

(i) A contractor or subcontractor of a Party at any tier;

(ii) A user or customer of a Party at any tier; or

(iii) A contractor or subcontractor of a user or customer of a Party at any tier.

(8) “Transfer Vehicle” means any vehicle that operates in space and transfers Payloads or persons or both between two different space objects, between two different locations on the same space object, or between a space object and the surface of a celestial body. A Transfer Vehicle also includes a vehicle that departs from and returns to the same location on a space object.

(c) Cross-waiver of liability:

(1) The Contractor agrees to a waiver of liability pursuant to which it waives all claims against any of the entities or persons listed in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (c)(1)(iv) of this clause based on Damage arising out of Protected Space Operations. This cross-waiver shall apply only if the person, entity, or property causing the Damage is involved in Protected Space Operations and the person, entity, or property damaged is damaged by virtue of its involvement in Protected Space Operations. The waiver shall apply to any claims for Damage, whatever the legal basis for such claims, against:

(i) A Party;

(ii) A Party to another NASA Agreement or contract that includes flight on the same Launch Vehicle;

(iii) A Related Entity of any entity identified in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) or (c)(1)(ii) of this clause; or

(iv) The employees of any of the entities identified in (c)(1)(i) through (iii) of this clause.

(2) The Contractor agrees to extend the cross-waiver of liability as set forth in paragraph (c)(1) of this clause to its own subcontractors at all tiers by requiring them, by contract or otherwise, to:

(i) Waive all claims against the entities or persons identified in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (c)(1)(iv) of this clause; and

(ii) Require that their Related Entities waive all claims against the entities or persons identified in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (c)(1)(iv) of this clause.

(3) For avoidance of doubt, this cross-waiver of liability includes a cross-waiver of claims arising from the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects, entered into force on 1 September 1972, in which the person, entity, or property causing the Damage is involved in Protected Space Operations and the person, entity, or property damaged is damaged by virtue of its involvement in Protected Space Operations.

(4) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this clause, this cross-waiver of liability shall not be applicable to:

(i) Claims between the Government and its own contractors or between its own contractors and subcontractors;

(ii) Claims made by a natural person, his/her estate, survivors, or subrogees (except when a subrogee is a Party to an Agreement or is otherwise bound by the terms of this cross-waiver) for bodily injury to, or other impairment of health, or death of such person;

(iii) Claims for Damage caused by willful misconduct;

(iv) Intellectual property claims;

(v) Claims for damages resulting from a failure of the contractor to extend the cross-waiver of liability to its subcontractors and related entities, pursuant to paragraph (c)(2) of this clause; or

(vi) Claims by the Government arising out of or relating to a contractor's failure to perform its obligations under this contract.

(5) Nothing in this clause shall be construed to create the basis for a claim or suit where none would otherwise exist.

(6) This cross-waiver shall not be applicable when 49 U.S.C. Subtitle IX, Chapter 701 is applicable.