(a) There are exempted from the taxes imposed by this part the gross receipts from the sale of, and the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of, qualified property for use in space flight.
(b) For purposes of this section:
(1) “Qualified property” means any of the following:
(A) Tangible personal property that has space flight capability, including, but not limited to, an orbital space facility, space propulsion system, space vehicle, satellite, or space station of any kind, and any component thereof.
(B) Tangible personal property to be placed or used aboard any facility, system, vehicle, satellite, or station described in subparagraph (A), regardless of whether that property is to be ultimately returned to this state for subsequent use, storage, or other consumption.
(C) Fuel of a quality that is not adaptable for use in ordinary motor vehicles, but is produced, sold, and used exclusively for space flight.
(2) “Space flight” means any flight designed for suborbital, orbital, or interplanetary travel by a space vehicle, satellite, space facility, or space station of any kind.
(c) The exemption established by this section shall not be denied by reason of a failure, postponement, or cancellation of a launch of a space vehicle, satellite, space facility, or space station of any kind, or the destruction of any launch vehicle or any component thereof, but the exemption shall not apply to any material that is not intended to be launched into space.
(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 323, Sec. 7. Effective August 20, 1998. Operative January 1, 1999, by Sec. 35 of Ch. 323.)