; policy; purposes; definitions (a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The United States, through existing authorization and supervision mechanisms, satisfies and is in conformity with its obligation under the Outer Space Treaty to authorize and supervise nongovernmental space activities to assure such activities are carried out in conformity with the international obligations of the United States pertaining to nongovernmental entities under the Outer Space Treaty. (2) The United States has a robust and innovative private sector that is investing in, developing, and placing into outer space, spacecraft and payloads. (3) Authorization and supervision mechanisms for nongovernmental activities in outer space that exist as of the date of the enactment of this Act could be improved to relieve administrative burdens on nongovernmental space entities. (4) It serves the national interest to address misperceptions of legal uncertainty through the establishment of a general authorization and supervision certification for outer space activities carried on by nongovernmental entities. (5) The exploration and use of outer space by nongovernmental entities will further the national security, foreign policy, and economic interests of the United States. (b) Policy It is the policy of the United States that— (1) United States citizens and entities are free to explore and use outer space, including through the utilization of outer space and resources contained therein; (2) to the maximum extent practicable, the Federal Government shall interpret and fulfill United States international obligations in a manner that minimizes regulations and limitations on the freedom of United States nongovernmental entities to explore and use outer space; (3) to the maximum extent practicable, the Federal Government shall take steps to protect the physical safety of space objects operated by the Federal Government that do not involve limitations on the freedoms of nongovernmental entities of the United States