N AT I ONAL SPACE P O L ICY o f th e
UNIT ED S TATE S O F A ME R ICA

DECEMBER 9, 2020

“We are a nation of pioneers. We are thepeople who crossed the ocean, carved out afoothold on a vast continent, settled a great
wilderness, and then set our eyes upon thestars. This is our history, and this is ourdestiny.”
President Donald J. Trump
Kennedy Space CenterMay 30, 2020

Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 1
Principles ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
Goals ............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Cross Sector Guidelines ............................................................................................................................. 7
Foundational Activities and Capabilities .................................................................................................. 7
International Cooperation ...................................................................................................................... 12
Preserving the Space Environment to Enhance the Long-term Sustainability of Space Activities ......... 14
Effective Export Policies .......................................................................................................................... 15
Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion..................................................................................................... 16
Protection of Electromagnetic Spectrum................................................................................................ 17
Cybersecurity for United States Space Systems...................................................................................... 18
Assurance of National Critical Functions ................................................................................................ 18
Sector Guidelines...................................................................................................................................... 20
Commercial Space Guidelines ................................................................................................................ 20
Civil Space Guidelines ............................................................................................................................. 23
National Security Space Guidelines ........................................................................................................ 27

NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Introduction“Every person has the opportunity to share through understanding in theadventures which lie ahead. These opportunities reinforce my conviction that
we and other nations have a great responsibility to promote the peaceful useof space and to utilize the new knowledge obtainable from space science andtechnology for the benefit of all mankind.”-

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, March 26, 1958

Fifty-one years ago, the United States focused its will, leadership, and imagination to lead thegreatest expedition in history, the landing of the first humans on another celestial body. The
aspiration to explore space led the United States to generate the new technologies,
capabilities, expertise, and businesses to fulfill this goal.
Since America’s first steps on the Moon, the United States has utilized its space capabilities tostimulate economic growth, enhance the quality of life for all Americans and people aroundthe world, and advance the principles of democracy, human rights, and economic freedom.
The United States will create an environment that energizes our industry to create innovative
commercial approaches that will carry and sustain our next generation of explorers andentrepreneurs on the Moon and then on to Mars and beyond.
Our way of life on Earth is greatly enhanced by space and the United States acknowledges theimportance of space to the advancement of all humanity. The United States will lead andstrengthen enduring international partnerships to preserve and sustain space for future
activity and so that all nations and all people can benefit from space and improve our way ofliving on Earth and in space.
As we seek to expand the benefits of space to people on Earth and in space, unfettered access
to, and freedom to operate in, space will remain a vital national interest. Recognizing the rightof nations to explore and use outer space, the United States will continue to use space for the
security of the Nation and our allies. Should any adversary threaten to endanger the benefits
we all derive from space, the United States will employ all elements of national power to deter
and, if necessary, prevail over hostile activities in, from, and through space.

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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAThe United States has been, and will remain, committed to fostering the ingenuity of theAmerican people and working with likeminded partners around the world to improve ourquality of life, to explore and learn, and to support peace on Earth and in the stars.

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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Principles
It is the policy of the United States to ensure that space operations are consistent with thefollowing principles.


It is the shared interest of all nations to act responsibly in space to ensure the safety,
stability, security, and long-term sustainability of space activities. Responsible space
actors operate with openness, transparency, and predictability to maintain the benefitsof space for all humanity.



A robust, innovative, and competitive commercial space sector is the source ofcontinued progress and sustained United States leadership in space. The United Statesremains committed to encouraging and facilitating the continued growth of a domestic
commercial space sector that is globally competitive, supports national interests, andadvances United States leadership in the generation of new markets and innovationdriven entrepreneurship.

In this resurgent era of space exploration, the United States will expand its leadershipalongside nations that share its democratic values, respect for human rights, andeconomic freedom. Those values will extend with us to all space destinations as theUnited States once again steps beyond Earth, starting with the Moon and continuing to
Mars.



As established in international law, outer space, including the Moon and other celestialbodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use
or occupation, or by any other means. The United States will pursue the extraction andutilization of space resources in compliance with applicable law, recognizing thoseresources as critical for sustainable exploration, scientific discovery, and commercial
operations.

All nations have the right to explore and to use space for peaceful purposes and for the
benefit of all humanity, in accordance with applicable law. Consistent with thatprinciple, the United States will continue to use space for national security activities,
including for the exercise of the inherent right of self-defense. Unfettered access andfreedom to operate in space is a vital national interest.

The United States considers the space systems of all nations to have the right to passthrough and conduct operations in space without interference. Purposeful interferencewith space systems, including supporting infrastructure, will be considered an
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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

infringement of a nation's rights. Consistent with the defense of those rights, the UnitedStates will seek to deter, counter, and defeat threats in the space domain that are
hostile to the national interests of the United States and its allies. Any purposefulinterference with or an attack upon the space systems of the United States or its allies
that directly affects national rights will be met with a deliberate response at a time,
place, manner, and domain of our choosing.

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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Goals
The United States shall:Promote and incentivize private industry to facilitate the creation of new global anddomestic markets for United States space goods and services, and strengthen andpreserve the position of the United States as the global partner of choice forinternational space commerce.

Encourage and uphold the rights of nations to use space responsibly andpeacefully by developing and implementing diplomatic, economic, and security
capabilities and strategies to identify and respond to behaviors that threaten thoserights.



Lead, encourage, and expand international cooperation on mutually beneficial
space activities that broaden and extend the benefits of space for all humanity; further
the exploration and use of space for peaceful purposes; protect the interests of theUnited States, its allies, and partners; advance United States interests and values; andenhance access to space-derived information and services.



Create a safe, stable, secure, and sustainable environment for space activities, incollaboration with industry and international partners, through the development andpromotion of responsible behaviors; improved practices for the collection and sharing
of information on space objects; protection of critical space systems and supporting
infrastructures, with special attention to cybersecurity and supply chains; andmeasures to mitigate orbital debris.



Increase the assurance of national critical functions enabled by commercial, civil,
scientific, and national security spacecraft and supporting infrastructure against
disruption, degradation, and destruction through the development and fielding ofmateriel and non-materiel capabilities and rehearsal of continuity of operations
practices.



Extend human economic activity into deep space by establishing a permanenthuman presence on the Moon, and, in cooperation with private industry andinternational partners, develop infrastructure and services that will enable sciencedriven exploration, space resource utilization, and human missions to Mars.

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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Increase the quality of life for all humanity through the cultivation, maturation, anddevelopment of space-enabled scientific and economic capabilities, including spaceand Earth resource discovery, management, and utilization; space and Earth weather
and environmental monitoring and prediction; disaster monitoring, prediction,
response, and recovery; and planetary defense.



Preserve and expand United States leadership in the development of innovative
space technologies, services, and operations. Work with likeminded international andprivate partners, to prevent the transfer of sensitive space capabilities to those who
threaten the interests of the United States, its allies, and its supporting industrial base.

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Cross Sector Guidelines
The heads of all executive departments and agencies (agencies), consistent with theirrespective missions and authorities, shall execute the guidance provided in this section
consistent with applicable law.
Heads of agencies with representation on the National Space Council shall designate a senior
official with responsibility for overseeing their respective agency's implementation of the
National Space Policy. This official shall periodically report to the National Space Council on
the progress of implementation of this policy within respective agencies.

Foundational Activities and Capabilities
Foundational activities and capabilities enable the United States to fulfill the principles andgoals directed in this policy.
Strengthen United States Leadership in Space-related Science and Technology.
Heads of agencies shall:-

Reinforce United States technological leadership by promoting technology
development; improved industrial capacity; a robust supplier base; and science,technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education opportunities
necessary to support United States leadership in space innovation;-

Conduct basic and applied research that increases space capabilities anddecreases costs, if such research is best supported by the Government; and-Encourage commercial space innovation and entrepreneurship through targeted
investment in promising technologies that improve the Nation's leadership inspace operations.

Strengthen and Secure the United States Space Industrial Base. To further foster
the security and resilience of the domestic space industrial base, heads of agencies, tothe maximum extent practicable and consistent with applicable law, shall:-

Promote the availability of space-related industrial capabilities in support ofnational critical functions;-

Identify suppliers and manufacturers key to the United States space-relatedscience, technology, and industrial bases and incentivizing them to remain in, or
return to, the United States;
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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-

Support innovative entrepreneurial space companies through appropriate
deregulatory actions;-

Strengthen the security, integrity, and reliability of the supply chains of UnitedStates space-related science, technology, and industrial bases by identifying andeliminating dependence on suppliers owned by, controlled by, or subject to thejurisdiction or direction of foreign adversaries, and engaging with United Statesand international industrial partners to improve processes and effectively
manage and secure supply chains; and-Incorporate cybersecurity principles across all phases of space systems design,development, acquisition, and deployment.

Enhance Capabilities for Assured Access to Space. United States access to spacedepends in the first instance on assured launch capabilities. To the extent consistent
with applicable law, United States Government payloads shall be launched on vehicles
manufactured in the United States, unless approved for foreign launch in support of:-No-exchange-of-funds agreements involving international scientific programs,
launches of scientific instruments on international spacecraft, or othercooperative government-to-government agreements;-

Launches of secondary-technology demonstrators or scientific payloads for which
no United States launch service is available;-

Hosted payload arrangements on spacecraft not owned by the United States
Government; or-Other circumstances on a case-by-case exemption as coordinated by the Assistantto the President for National Security Affairs and the Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy, consistent with established interagency
standards and coordination guidelines.

-

To the maximum extent practicable and consistent with their responsibilities andapplicable law, the heads of agencies shall:oWork collaboratively to acquire space launch services and hosted
Government payload arrangements that are secure, reliable, cost-effective,
and responsive to United States Government needs;oEnhance operational efficiency, increase capacity, and reduce launch costs
by investing in the modernization of space launch infrastructure;
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



o

Permit the launch of United States Government spacecraft manufactured in
the United States from territories of allied and likeminded nations when
launched on vehicles manufactured in the United States; andoWhen sufficient United States commercial capabilities and services do
not exist, support industry-led efforts to rapidly develop new andmodernized launch systems and technologies necessary to assure and tosustain future reliable, resilient, and efficient access to space.

Safeguard Space Components of Critical Infrastructure. The space domain is
important to the function of critical infrastructure vital to the security, economy,
resilience, public health, and safety of the United States. Multiple infrastructure sectors
depend on reliable access to space-based systems to perform their functions.
-

The United States will develop strategies, capabilities, and options to respond toany purposeful interference with or attack on the space systems of the UnitedStates or its allies that directly affects national rights, especially those necessary
for the operation of the Nation's critical infrastructure. Such strategies,
capabilities, and options will allow for a deliberate response at a time, place,manner, and domain of its choosing.

-

The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of
National Intelligence, in consultation with other heads of agencies, as
appropriate, shall develop and maintain focused threat and risk assessments on
the effect of deleterious actions in the space domain to the Nation's criticalinfrastructure.

Maintain and Enhance Space-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT)
Systems. The United States must maintain its leadership in the service, provision, andresponsible use of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). To that end, the UnitedStates shall:-

Provide continuous worldwide access, for peaceful civil uses, to the Global
Positioning System (GPS) and its Government-provided augmentations, free of
direct user fees;-

Engage with international GNSS providers to ensure compatibility, encourageinteroperability with likeminded nations, promote transparency in civil service
provision, and enable market access for United States industry;9

NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-

Operate and maintain the GPS constellation to satisfy civil and national security
needs, consistent with published performance standards and interface
specifications;-Improve the cybersecurity of GPS, its augmentations, and federally owned GPSenabled devices, and foster commercial space sector adoption of cyber-secure
GPS enabled systems consistent with cybersecurity principles for space systems;-

Allow for the continued use of allied and other trusted international PNT services
in conjunction with GPS in a manner that ensures the resilience of PNT services
and is consistent with applicable law;-

Invest in domestic capabilities and support international activities to detect,analyze, mitigate, and increase resilience to harmful interference to GNSS;-

Identify and promote, as appropriate, multiple and diverse complementary PNT
systems or approaches for critical infrastructure and mission-essential functions;and-Promote the responsible use of United States space-based PNT services andcapabilities in civil and commercial sectors at the Federal, State, and local levels,
including the utilization of multiple and diverse complementary PNT systems orapproaches for national critical functions.

Develop and Retain Space Professionals. The primary goals of space professional
development are to achieve mission success in space operations and acquisition;
stimulate innovation to improve commercial, civil, and national security spacecapabilities; and advance science, exploration, and discovery. Toward these ends, theheads of agencies, in cooperation with industry and academia, as appropriate, shall:-

Establish standards for accession and career progression;-

Seek to create educational and professional development opportunities for thecurrent space workforce, including internships and fellowships, and to implement
measures to recruit, develop, maintain, and retain skilled space professionals,
including engineering and scientific personnel and experienced space systemdevelopers and operators, across Government and commercial sectors;-

Promote and expand public-private partnerships within space and technology
industries to foster transdisciplinary educational achievement in STEM programs,
supported by targeted investments in such initiatives;

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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-

Promote the exchange of scientists, engineers, and technologists among Federal
laboratories, universities, and the commercial space sector to facilitate theexchange of diverse ideas and to build capacity in space technical knowledge andskills;-Develop the means to recruit and to employ qualified and skilled space
professionals from likeminded nations to increase United States leadership inspace commerce, science, exploration, and security; and-Support training and education in key enabling scientific and engineering
disciplines, including: artificial intelligence and machine learning, autonomy,
orbital mechanics, collision avoidance methods, robotics, computer science andengineering, digital design and engineering, electromagnetics, materials science,
hypersonics, geoscience, quantum-related technologies and applications, andcybersecurity.

Improve Space System Development and Procurement. The heads of agencies shall:-

Improve timely acquisition and deployment of space systems throughenhancements in estimating costs, assessing technological risk and maturity, andleveraging and understanding emerging industrial base capabilities and capacity;-

Reduce programmatic risk through improved management of program
requirements, reduce the use of cost-plus contracts, where appropriate, and takeadvantage of cost-effective opportunities to test high-risk components, payloads,
and technologies in digital, space, or other relevant environments;-

Create opportunities to strengthen and to develop pertinent expertise in the
Government workforce through internships and fellowships with the commercial
space sector;-

Pursue and endorse cooperative research and development agreements;-

Incorporate rapid prototyping, experimentation, and other efforts to accelerate
development cycles to improve performance and to reduce costs;-

Embrace innovation to cultivate and to sustain an entrepreneurial United States
research and development environment;-

Engage with the industrial base to improve processes and effectively manage andsecure supply chains; and11

NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-

Promote, where consistent with applicable rules and regulations concerning
Government contracting, procurement of critical materials and sub-tiercomponents, such as solar cells and microelectronics, from domestic and othertrusted sources of supply.

Strengthen Interagency and Commercial Partnerships. As facilitated by the
Executive Secretary of the National Space Council, the heads of agencies shall,consistent with applicable law:-

Strengthen existing partnerships and pursue new partnerships amonginteragency members, the United States commercial space and related sectors,
and United States academic institutions through cooperation, collaboration,
information sharing, innovative procurements, and alignment of common
pursuits to achieve United States goals;-

Encourage the sharing of capabilities and the exchange of expertise amongagencies and, to the maximum extent practicable, with the United Statescommercial sectors to strengthen the Nation's ability to pursue its strategic goals;-

Develop implementation and response strategies and leverage United States
capabilities to increase technology innovation and achieve desired outcomesinvolving space operations relating to science, public safety, national security,and economic growth.

International Cooperation
Strengthen United States Leadership in Space. The heads of agencies, in collaboration with
the Secretary of State, shall:Demonstrate United States leadership in space-related fora and activities to strengthen
deterrence and assure allies and partners of its commitment to preserving the safety,
stability, security, and long-term sustainability of space activities;

Identify areas of mutual interest and benefit, such as collective self-defense and thepromotion of secure and resilient space-related infrastructure;

Lead the enhancement of safety, stability, security, and long-term sustainability inspace by promoting a framework for responsible behavior in outer space, including the
pursuit and effective implementation of best practices, standards, and norms of
behavior;-

Encourage other nations to adopt United States space regulatory approaches andcommercial space sector practices;
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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-

Encourage interoperability among United States, allied, and partner spacesystems, services, and data;-

Facilitate new market opportunities for United States commercial spacecapabilities and services, including commercial applications that rely on UnitedStates Government-provided space systems;-

Promote the adoption of policies and practices internationally that facilitate full,open, and timely access to Government space-derived environmental data on areciprocal basis;-

Promote appropriate burden-, cost-, and risk-sharing among international
partners; and-Augment United States capabilities by leveraging existing and planned spacecapabilities of allies and partners.

Identify and Expand Areas for International Cooperation. The heads of agencies shallidentify potential areas for international cooperation across the spectrum of commercial, civil,
and national security space activities that increase the understanding of Earth and spacesciences, expand the detection of hazardous near-Earth objects, ensure the freedom of
operation in and through space, increase the quality and safety of life on Earth, extend humanpresence and economic activity beyond low Earth orbit, and reduce the cost of achieving the
Nation's goals.
The Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads of agencies, shall:-

Carry out diplomatic and public diplomacy efforts to strengthen theunderstanding of, and support for, United States national space policies andprograms and to promote the international use of United States spacecapabilities, systems, and services;-

Encourage international support for the recovery and use of outer spaceresources;-

Lead the consideration of proposals and concepts for arms control measures ifthey are equitable, effectively verifiable, and enhance the national security of theUnited States and its allies;-

Pursue bilateral and multilateral transparency and confidence-building measures
to encourage responsible actions in, and the peaceful use of, outer space to13

NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

strengthen the safety, stability, security, and long-term sustainability of space
activities, to increase predictability and reduce the risk of misunderstanding andinadvertent conflict escalation; and-

Cooperate with likeminded international partners to establish standards of safeand responsible behavior, including openness, transparency, and predictability,
to facilitate the detection, identification, and attribution of actions in space thatare inconsistent with the safety, stability, security, and long-term sustainability ofspace activities.

The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in coordination with the
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), theSecretary of Commerce, and the heads of other agencies as appropriate, shall lead thedevelopment of national and international planetary protection guidelines, working
with scientific, commercial, and international partners, for the appropriate protectionof planetary bodies and Earth from harmful biological contamination.

Preserving the Space Environment to Enhance the Long-term Sustainability of Space
Activities
Preserve the Space Environment. To preserve the space environment for responsible,
peaceful, and safe use, and with a focus on minimizing space debris the United States shall:Continue leading the development and adoption of international and industry
standards and policies, such as the Guidelines for the Long-term Sustainability of Outer
Space Activities and the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines of the United Nations
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space;Continue to make available basic space situational awareness (SSA) data, and provide
for basic space traffic coordination (including conjunction and reentry notifications),
free of direct user fees while supporting new opportunities for United Statescommercial and non-profit products and services;

Develop, maintain, and use SSA information from commercial, civil, and national
security sources in an open architecture data repository to detect, identify, andattribute actions in space that are inconsistent with the safety, stability, security, andthe long-term sustainability of space activities;

Develop and maintain space flight safety standards and best practices to coordinate
space traffic;

Ensure that, consistent with international obligations, timely and accurate information
concerning United States space objects launched into Earth orbit or beyond is entered
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into the United States domestic space object registry maintained by the Secretary ofState and internationally registered with the United Nations as soon as practicable;

Limit the creation of new debris, consistent with mission requirements and costeffectiveness, during the procurement and operation of spacecraft, launch services,and conduct of tests and experiments in space by following and periodically updating
the United States Government Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices;

Regularly assess existing guidelines for non-government activities in or beyond Earthorbit, and maintain a timely and responsive regulatory environment for licensing those
activities, consistent with United States law and international obligations;

Pursue research and development of technologies and techniques to characterize andto mitigate risks from orbital debris, reduce hazards, and increase understanding of thecurrent and future debris environment;

Evaluate and pursue, in coordination with allies and partners, active debris removal asa potential long-term approach to ensure the safety of flight in key orbital regimes;

Require approval of exceptions to the United States Government Orbital Debris
Mitigation Standard Practices from the head of the sponsoring agency and notification
to the Secretary of State; andContinue to foster the development of best practices to prevent on-orbit collisions bycollaborating with the commercial space sector and likeminded nations to: maintainand improve space object databases; pursue common international data standards andintegrity measures; provide services and disseminate orbital tracking information,
including predictions of space-object conjunctions, to commercial and international
entities; and expand SSA to deep space.

Effective Export Policies
The United States will work to stem the flow of advanced space technology to unauthorizedparties while ensuring the competitiveness of the United States space industrial base. The
heads of agencies are responsible for protecting against adverse technology transfer in the
conduct of their programs.
The United States Government shall:Consider letters of request and the issuance of licenses for space-related exports on acase-by-case basis, pursuant to, and in accordance with, the International Traffic in
Arms Regulations (ITAR), the Conventional Arms Transfer Policy, the Export
Administration Regulations, and other applicable laws and commitments;
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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Encourage the export of space-related items when doing so would not threaten thenational interest;

Make eligible for streamlined authorization the export of space-related items that are
generally available in the global marketplace, do not provide critical military functions,and are destined for certain allied or partner countries.

Consistent with the foregoing, and consistent with existing law and regulation, license
applications for exports of space-related items will be subject to a presumption of denial when
destined for arms-embargoed destinations or other embargoed destinations.
Sensitive or advanced spacecraft-related exports may require government-to-governmenttransfers through the Foreign Military Sales process. The Secretary of State shall determine
whether current arms transfer and nonproliferation policy directives provide sufficientguidance for the transfer of emerging technologies and space capabilities.

Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion
The United States will develop and use space nuclear power and propulsion (SNPP) systems
where such systems enable achievement of United States scientific, national security, andcommercial objectives. The United States will adhere to principles of safety, stability, security,and long-term sustainability in its development and utilization of space nuclear systems. In
accordance with the National Security Policy Memorandum-20 Presidential Memorandum on
Launch of Spacecraft Containing Space Nuclear Systems (August 20, 2019), authorization forlaunches of spacecraft containing space nuclear systems shall follow a tiered process based on
the characteristics of the system, level of potential hazard, and national security
considerations.
The Administrator of NASA and the Secretary of Defense shall conduct and support design,development, and utilization of space nuclear systems, as appropriate, to enable and achieve
their respective mission objectives.
The Secretary of Energy shall support the design, development, and utilization of SNPP
systems to enable and achieve the scientific, exploration, and national security objectivesof the United States, in coordination with sponsoring agencies and other entities, as
appropriate. The Secretary of Energy shall maintain, on a full cost recovery basis, the capability
and infrastructure to develop, furnish, and conduct safety analyses for space nuclear systems
for use in United States Government space systems.
The Secretary of Energy, in cooperation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the headsof appropriate agencies, shall provide technical and operational support to the launch of SNPP
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systems to prepare for and respond to any potential radiological impacts of a launch to ensure
the protection of public health and safety.
The Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with other appropriate agencies, shall promoteresponsible United States commercial space nuclear system investment, innovation, andoperations.
The Secretary of Transportation shall, in consultation with other applicable agencies, serve as
the licensing authority for commercial launches of space nuclear systems.

Protection of Electromagnetic Spectrum
In matters pertaining to the electromagnetic spectrum the United States shall:

Seek to protect access to, and operation in, the electromagnetic spectrum and related
orbital assignments required to support the use of space by the United States
Government, its allies, and partners, and United States commercial users;

Preserve and protect the electromagnetic spectrum required to sustain existing andemergent space-based capabilities, including communications, navigation, and Earthobservation;

Explicitly address requirements for electromagnetic spectrum and orbital assignments
prior to approving acquisition of space capabilities;

Coordinate stable and predictable national and international regulatory frameworks toenable and support the competitiveness of space services and systems licensed by theUnited States;Seek to remove or to streamline regulatory impediments that may discouragecommercial space communications providers from obtaining licenses from the UnitedStates;Conduct and publish thorough operational, technical, and policy impact assessments,
in coordination with Government space system operators, prior to reallocating
spectrum for commercial, Government, or shared use;Enhance capabilities and techniques, in cooperation with commercial, civil, andinternational partners, to detect, identify, locate, and attribute sources of radio
frequency interference, and to take necessary measures to sustain the electromagnetic
environment in which critical United States space systems operate;

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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Seek appropriate regulatory approval under United States domestic regulations forUnited States Government Earth stations operating with commercially owned
satellites, consistent with the regulatory approvals granted to analogous commercial
Earth stations; and

Prioritize research and development of advanced technologies, innovative spectrumutilization methods, and spectrum-sharing tools and techniques that increase
spectrum access, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Cybersecurity for United States Space Systems
In matters relating to cybersecurity for space systems the United States Government shall:

Seek to ensure space systems and their supporting infrastructure, including software,are designed, developed, and operated using risk-based, cybersecurity-informed
engineering;Collaborate with industry and encourage development and integration of cybersecurity
plans for space systems that mitigate unauthorized access to critical space system
functions, reduce vulnerabilities, protect ground systems, promote cybersecurity
hygiene practices, and manage supply chain risks;Collaborate with interagency, allied, partner, and commercial space system operators
to promote the development and adoption of best practices and mitigations;

Leverage widely adopted best practices and standards in the creation of rules andregulations, as appropriate; and

Determine appropriate cybersecurity measures for Government space systems througha mission risk assessment specific to a space system's design and operations.

Assurance of National Critical Functions
The United States Government, in cooperation with private and public sectors, shall:Assure space-enabled national critical functions by developing the techniques,measures, relationships, and capabilities necessary to maintain continuity of services;

Pursue efforts to enhance the protection, cybersecurity, and resilience of selected
spacecraft and supporting infrastructure;

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Periodically conduct operationally-focused exercises to test the continuity of national
critical functions and Federal mission assurance in a degraded or denied spaceenvironment due to natural or manmade disruptions;

Incorporate the simulated disruption of space systems into interagency and national
exercises; andAddress mission assurance and architectural resilience through the design, acquisition,command and control, exercise, and operation of materiel and non-materiel space andnon-space capabilities.

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Sector Guidelines
The United States conducts space activities in three distinct but interdependent sectors:commercial, civil, and national security. Consistent with all applicable legal obligations
agencies shall comply with the following guidance.

Commercial Space Guidelines
The term "commercial," for the purposes of this policy, refers to goods, services, or activities
provided by private sector enterprises that bear a reasonable portion of the investment risk
and responsibility for the activity, operate in accordance with typical market-based incentives
for controlling cost and optimizing return on investment, and have the legal capacity to offer
those goods or services to existing or potential non-governmental customers.
A United States commercial space sector that leads in the global space marketplace isfoundational to national strategic objectives that include increased and sustained prosperity,
free market principles, enhanced international partnerships and collaboration, technologicalinnovation, and scientific discovery, and is vital to United States and allied security.
Promoting a Robust Commercial Space Industry. To promote a robust domestic
commercial space industry and strengthen United States leadership as the country of choicefor conducting commercial space activities, the heads of agencies shall:

Purchase and use United States commercial space capabilities and services, to the
maximum practical extent under existing law, when such capabilities and services meet
United States Government requirements;

Prioritize partnerships with commercial industry to meet Government requirements
through the modification of existing commercial space capabilities and services whenpotential system modifications represent a cost-effective and timely acquisition
approach for the Government and are consistent with system and mission-security
practices and principles;Consider inventive, nontraditional arrangements for acquiring commercial space
goods and services to meet United States Government requirements, including
measures such as hosting Government capabilities on commercial spacecraft,purchasing scientific or operational data from commercial satellite operators insupport of Government missions, leveraging satellite servicing or on-orbit
manufacturing, and public-private partnerships;

Develop Government space systems only when in the national interest and no suitableor cost-effective United States commercial or, as appropriate, internationalcommercial capability or service is available or could be available in time to meet
Government requirements;
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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Refrain from conducting United States Government space activities that preclude,
discourage, or compete with United States commercial space activities, unless requiredby national security or public safety;

Pursue opportunities for transferring routine operational space functions to thecommercial space sector where beneficial and cost-effective and consistent with legal,
security, or safety needs;

Cultivate increased technological innovation and entrepreneurship and provide
alternatives to predatory foreign investment in the commercial space sector throughthe use of incentives such as prizes, competitions, and competitive grants;Ensure that United States Government space technology and infrastructure are madeavailable for commercial use on a reimbursable, non-interference and equitable basis
to the maximum practical extent, consistent with applicable laws and national security
interests;

Promote continued commercial United States leadership in space by making available,consistent with applicable laws and national security, commercially relevant
technologies developed by Federal research and development programs to UnitedStates industry;

Create transparent regulatory processes that minimize, consistent with national
security and public safety, the regulatory burden and uncertainty for commercial space
activities and that are flexible so as to accommodate and to adapt to technicaldevelopment, business innovation, and market demands;

Encourage State and local governments to support the commercial space sector for the
purposes of cultivating a technically skilled work force, diversifying innovation
potential, and stimulating economic growth;Foster fair and open global trade and commerce through the promotion of standards
and regulations that have been developed with input from United States industry;

Encourage the purchase and use of United States commercial space services andcapabilities in international cooperative arrangements;

Encourage the growth of United States commercial human space exploration, including
logistical provisioning, delivery, and the continued commercialization of operations inand beyond low Earth orbit, and the use of microgravity as a domain for research anddevelopment; and21

NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Promote the export of United States commercial space goods and services, including
those developed by small and medium-sized enterprises, for use in international
markets, consistent with United States export controls and national security objectives.

International Trade Agreements. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has theprimary responsibility for international trade agreements to which the United States is a party.
USTR, in consultation with other relevant heads of agencies, will lead any effort relating to thenegotiation and implementation of trade disciplines governing trade in goods and services
related to space.
Mission Authorization of Novel Activities. The Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with
the National Space Council, shall:

Identify whether any planned space activities fall beyond the scope of existing
authorization and supervision processes necessary to meet international obligations;and

Lead, if necessary, the development of minimally burdensome, responsive,transparent, and adaptive review, authorization, and supervision processes for suchactivities, consistent with national security and public safety interests, with apresumption of approval and prompt appeals process.

Foster the Development of Space Collision Warning Measures. The Secretary of Commerce,in consultation with the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Transportation, the Administratorof NASA, and the heads of other agencies, shall collaborate, consistent with applicable law,with industry and foreign nations to:Maintain and improve space object identification databases;Pursue common international data standards and data integrity measures;

Disseminate orbital tracking information to commercial and international entities,
including predictions of space object conjunctions;

Enhance the common understanding of resident space objects;

Develop and implement standard practices for conjunction assessment operations toensure the safety of flight of all space operations, across all orbital regimes; and22

NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICADevelop common commercial operating guidelines and propose licensing
requirements, consistent with respective agency mission and authorities, for large
constellations, rendezvous and proximity operations, satellite servicing, small
satellites, end-of-mission planning, and other classes of space operations.

Civil Space Guidelines
Space Science, Exploration, and Discovery. The United States shall lead an innovative andsustainable program of scientific discovery, technology development, and space exploration
with commercial and international partners to enable human expansion across the solar
system and to bring back to Earth new knowledge and opportunities. Beginning withmissions beyond low Earth orbit, the United States will lead the return of humans to theMoon for long-term exploration and utilization, followed by human missions to Mars andother destinations.
The Administrator of NASA, in collaboration with other appropriate agencies, Federal
laboratories, and commercial partners, shall, consistent with applicable law:

Lead a program to land the next American man and the first American woman on theMoon by 2024, followed by a sustained presence on the Moon by 2028, and thesubsequent landing of the first human on Mars;

Continue the operation of the International Space Station (ISS) in cooperation withinternational partners for scientific, technological, commercial, diplomatic, andeducational purposes while developing separate commercial platforms to sustain
continuous United States presence in and utilization of low Earth orbit and to transition
beyond ISS operations;

Develop partnerships to foster new economic activities in and beyond low Earth orbitthat enable NASA and other customers to purchase services and capabilities at lower
cost;



In consultation with international and commercial partners as appropriate, support
activities that include the presence of humans in space; maintain continuous humanpresence in Earth orbit by transitioning from ISS to commercial platforms and services;and continue to support future objectives in human space exploration;

Continue as the launch agent for the civil space sector while utilizing commercial spacecapabilities and services to the maximum practical extent;Continue to grow partnerships with the commercial space sector to enable safe,
reliable, and cost-effective transport of crew and cargo to destinations in low Earth andcislunar orbits, and to the lunar surface;23

NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Lead space exploration technology development efforts in collaboration with industry,
academia, and international partners to increase capabilities for future human androbotic space exploration missions while decreasing mission costs;



Maintain a sustained robotic presence in the solar system with international andcommercial partners to: prepare for future human missions; conduct scientificinvestigations; map and characterize water, mineral, and elemental resources; anddemonstrate new technologies;Conduct space science for observations, research, and analysis of the Sun, space
weather, the solar system, and the universe to enhance knowledge of the cosmos,
advance scientific understanding, understand the conditions that may support thedevelopment of life, and search for planetary bodies and Earth-like planets in orbit
around other stars;

Pursue capabilities, in cooperation with other agencies, commercial, and international
partners, to detect, track, catalog, and characterize near Earth objects to warn of
any predicted Earth impact and to identify potentially resource-rich planetary objects;
and

Develop options, in collaboration with other agencies, and international partners, forplanetary defense actions both on Earth and in space to mitigate the potential effects
of a predicted near Earth object impact or trajectory.

Observation of the Earth's Surface, Environment, and Weather. To continue and toenhance a broad array of programs of space-based observation, research, and analysis of the
Earth's surface, oceans, and atmosphere and their interactions, and to improve life on Earth:

The Administrator of NASA, in coordination with the heads of other appropriate
agencies, shall conduct a program of research to understand Earth's interconnected
systems, including the development of new Earth observing satellites for other agencies
to use for operational purposes.

The Secretary of Commerce, through the Administrator of the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration (NOAA), shall be responsible for the requirements,
funding, and operation of civil environmental satellites and data-gathering in supportof atmospheric and space weather forecasting. NOAA may utilize NASA as theacquisition agent for operational environmental satellites for those activities andprograms.

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





The Secretary of Commerce, through the Administrator of NOAA, and the Secretary of
Defense, through the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Administratorof NASA and the heads of other appropriate agencies, shall:-Continue existing coverage responsibilities;-

Develop a plan to provide Earth environmental satellite observation
capabilities, including ground systems for operations, that meet current andfuture civil and national security requirements; and-Ensure the continued sharing of data from all systems.

In support of operational requirements the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination
with the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of NASA, and the heads of otherappropriate agencies, shall:-Collaborate with academia, the commercial sector, and international partners toensure uninterrupted operational environmental satellite observations using
cost-effective, resilient methods to acquire global meteorological satellite data;-

Coordinate, as practicable, on future satellite and ground system architectures
to reduce duplication of space acquisition processes and capabilities;-

Utilize international partnerships to sustain and enhance a robust Earthobservations program that meets civil and national security requirements,
including weather, climate, ocean, and coastal observations; and-Purchase commercial environmental data for use in meteorological and space
weather models when appropriate.

The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with theAssistant to the President for National Security Affairs, shall coordinate theimplementation of the National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan. The goals of
this strategy are to: enhance the protection of Government and commercial systems
against the effects of space weather; disseminate accurate and timely space weather
characterization and forecasts; and establish plans and procedures for responding
to and recovering from space weather events. Agencies contributing to the UnitedStates Government Earth science enterprise shall pursue innovative partnerships withthe commercial sector to make their agency's Earth observation data more easily
discoverable, accessible, and usable to the public.

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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Land Remote Sensing
The Secretary of the Interior, through the Director of the United States Geological Survey(USGS), shall:Conduct integrated predictive science, which includes research, monitoring,assessments, and modeling, on natural and human-induced changes to Earth's land,
land cover, and inland surface waters, and manage a national global land surface dataarchive and its distribution;

Determine the operational requirements for collecting, processing, archiving, anddistributing land surface data to the United States Government and other users;

Use international and commercial partnerships to help sustain and enhance land
surface observations from space; and

Utilize, consistent with national security classification guidelines and sharing
agreements and in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the Directorof National Intelligence, remote sensing information related to the environment and todisasters that is acquired from national security space systems.

The Secretary of the Interior, through the Director of the USGS, and the Administrator of NASAshall work together to maintain a sustainable land-imaging program for operational land
remote sensing observations that meets the needs of core United States users and leverages
government, commercial, and international capabilities.
The Administrators of NASA and NOAA, and the Director of the USGS shall:Collaborate, as practicable, on future satellite and ground system architectures
to ensure that civil space acquisition processes and capabilities are not unnecessarily
duplicated; andContinue to develop civil applications and information tools based on data collected by
Earth observation satellites. They shall, to the maximum extent practicable, develop
those applications and tools using known standards and open protocols and make data
and applications from United States Government satellites openly available to the
public.

The Secretary of Commerce shall license and regulate private remote sensing systems
consistent with the recognition that long-term United States national security and foreign
policy interests are best served by ensuring that United States industry continues to lead therapidly maturing and highly competitive commercial space-based remote sensing market. The

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Secretary of Commerce shall consult with the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense inthese matters in accordance with applicable law.

National Security Space Guidelines
The United States seeks a secure, stable, and accessible space domain, which has become awarfighting domain as a result of competitors seeking to challenge United States and alliedinterests in space.
Strength and security in space contribute to United States and international security andstability. It is imperative that the United States adapt its national security organizations,policies, strategies, doctrine, security classification frameworks, and capabilities to deter
hostilities, demonstrate responsible behaviors, and, if necessary, defeat aggression andprotect United States interests in space through:Robust space domain awareness of all activities in space with the ability to characterize
and attribute potentially threatening behavior;Communicating to competitors which space activities the United States considers
undesirable or irresponsible, while promoting, demonstrating, and communicating
responsible norms of behavior;Assured, credible, and demonstrable responses to defend vital national interests inspace;



Resilient space-enabled missions that reduce the impact or deny the effectiveness ofadversaries' actions; andSynchronized diplomatic, information, military, and economic strategies that:-

Deter adversaries and other actors from conducting activities that may threaten
the peaceful use of space by the United States, its allies, and partners; and-Compel and impose costs on adversaries to cease behaviors that threaten thepeaceful use of space by the United States, its allies, and partners.

The United States Space Force will pursue these objectives as the primary branch of the UnitedStates Armed Forces responsible for organizing, training, and equipping forces capable ofprojecting power in, from, and to space to defend United States national interests; protecting
the freedom of operation in, from, and to the space domain; and enhancing the lethality andeffectiveness of the Joint Force. The United States Space Force, and other branches of theArmed Forces as appropriate, will also present forces to the United States Space Command,and to the other Combatant Commands as appropriate, to deliver combat and combat support
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capabilities necessary to enable prompt and sustained offensive and defensive space
operations, and to provide space support to joint operations in all domains.
Synchronized National Security SpaceThe space domain is a priority intelligence and military operational domain for theUnited States. The United States Intelligence Community and Department of Defense use
space capabilities to provide strategic, operational, and tactical intelligence and decisive
military advantages to the Nation.
The Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with theheads of other appropriate agencies, Federal laboratories, and, as appropriate, in partnershipwith United States industry, shall:

Develop, acquire, and operate space systems and supporting information systems andnetworks to aid United States national security interests and to enable defense andintelligence operations;

Procure resilient space capabilities and services to provide defense and intelligence
operations during times of competition and armed conflict;

Develop and apply advanced technologies, capabilities, and concepts that anticipate
and rapidly respond to changes in the threat environment and improve the timelinessand quality of intelligence and data to support operations;

Identify and characterize current and future threats to United States space missions forthe purposes of enabling effective deterrence and defense;

Develop resilient, cost-effective architectures and accelerate acquisition and fielding ofspace capabilities with sufficient capacity to increase the resilience of space-enabled
missions and to expand the ability to field or to rapidly reconstitute space capabilities
based on the strategic environment;

Develop, implement, and exercise plans, procedures, techniques, and capabilities
necessary to assure critical national security space-enabled missions;Protect and defend United States national security space assets through integrationand synchronization of operational command and control capabilities and activities
that foster seamless execution between the Intelligence Community and Departmentof Defense;

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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Promote, in collaboration with the Secretary of State, norms of behavior for responsible
national security space activities that protect United States, allied, and partnerinterests in space;Ensure cost-effective resilience of space capabilities and assurance of space-enabled
missions, including supporting information systems and networks, commensurate with
their planned use and taking into account the value these systems provide incountering or mitigating threats, the consequences of their loss or degradation, and theavailability of other means to perform the mission;

Expand and increase emphasis on disruptive and emerging commercial spacecapabilities and provide assessments to United States and allied leadership on theeffects of these capabilities on national security;Integrate cybersecurity into space operations and capabilities to retain positive controlof space systems and verify the integrity of critical functions, missions, and services
they provide;Improve, develop, integrate, demonstrate, and proliferate in cooperation with relevantinteragency, international, intergovernmental, and commercial entities, space domainawareness capabilities to predict, detect, warn, characterize, and attribute humancaused and naturally occurring activities that pose threats to space systems of UnitedStates interest;Provide to the Department of Commerce and other agencies, as necessary, SSA
information that supports national security, civil, and human space flight activities,
planetary defense from hazardous near-Earth objects, and commercial and allied space
operations;

Collaborate with allies and partners actively engaging in space security and intelligence
operations to incentivize and institute mechanisms for the exchange of relevant space,and space-related information; andCollaborate with the Secretaries of Commerce and Energy, the Administrator of NASA,and the heads of other relevant agencies to periodically review the health andcompetitiveness of the United States space industrial base to determine whether thedomestic space industry can meet the technical requirements, production, and serviceof national security space programs.

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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Department of Defense
The Secretary of Defense shall:

Defend the use of space for United States national security purposes, the United States
economy, allies, and partners;Protect freedom of navigation and preserve lines of communication that are open, safe,
and secure in the space domain;Ensure that space capabilities are of sufficient capability and capacity to enabledecisive offensive and defensive space operations vital to defending United States,
allied, and partner interests in space while continuing to sustain support to joint
operations;

Conduct operations in, from, and through space to deter conflict, and if deterrence fails,
to defeat aggression while protecting and defending United States vital interests withallies and partners;

Provide, as launch agent for the Department of Defense and the Intelligence
Community, affordable and timely space access for national security purposes while
using commercial space capabilities and services to the maximum practical extent;

Develop, as launch agent for the Department of Defense and the Intelligence
Community, rapid launch options to reinforce or to reconstitute priority national
security space capabilities in times of crisis and conflict and that, when practicable andappropriate, leverage commercial capabilities;

Detect, characterize, warn, attribute, and respond to, in coordination with the Secretaryof State and other relevant agencies, space-related behaviors and activities thatthreaten the space interests of the United States, its allies, or partners, international
peace and security, or the long-term sustainability of the space environment;

Periodicallyconduct
policy-driven,threat-informed,
strategically-focused
space posture reviews and assessments that encompass military, diplomatic,
informational, and economic aspects of posture, including evaluation of the suitabilityof U.S. Government, commercial industry, and international space architectures todeliver effective and integrated deterrence and compellence solutions; andDevelop, acquire, and operate space intelligence capabilities to support joint
operations.

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NATIONAL SPACE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAIntelligence Community
The Director of National Intelligence shall:Enhance foundational scientific and technical intelligence collection and single and allsource intelligence analysis;

Coordinate with the Secretary of Defense to ensure necessary and sufficient intelligencesupport for acquisition, operations, and defense of space capabilities;

Develop, obtain, and operate space intelligence capabilities to support strategic goals,
intelligence priorities, and assigned tasks;

Provide robust, timely, and effective collection, processing, analysis, and disseminationof information on foreign space capabilities and threats and supporting information
system activities;Integrate all-source intelligence of foreign space capabilities and intentions to produce
enhanced intelligence products that support space domain awareness;Support monitoring, compliance, and verification for transparency and confidencebuilding measures and, if applicable, arms control agreements;

Ensure Intelligence Community equities are represented and reviewed in United States
Government radio frequency deliberations; andPromote counterintelligence and security partnerships and practices within thecommercial, civil, and national security space communities.

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