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MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING 

BETWEEN

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

AND

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

REGARDING

ENERGY-RELATED CIVIL SPACE ACTIVITIES

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Energy 

(DOE), through this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), affirm their mutual interest in 

continuing their longstanding partnership on mutually beneficial collaborative activities in 

furtherance of civil space exploration, scientific discovery, and U.S. national space policy. In 

this MOU, NASA and DOE may be individually referred to as a “Party” and collectively referred 

to as the “Parties.”

The Department of Energy enters into this MOU under the authority of section 646 of the 

Department of Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. 95-91, as amended; 42 U.S.C. § 7256).

I. Background

NASA and DOE have successfully worked together for over 50 years in space science 

and applications, exploration, and technology development. The continuing partnership 

of NASA and DOE is critical in supporting the goals of various initiatives, including 

those in Space Policy Directive-1 to land the first woman and the next man on the Moon 

by 2024 and establish a sustainable lunar space exploration and utilization program to 

prepare for the first human mission to Mars.

NASA’s mission is to drive advances in science, technology, aeronautics, and space 

exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, economic vitality, and 

stewardship of Earth. DOE’s civil space-related activities support the NASA mission in 

the DOE mission areas of applied energy and energy-related research and development; 

fundamental science (including user facilities and advanced technologies); space and 

Earth science; and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education.

Additional opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration between the Parties 

continue to emerge. In areas consistent with each Party’s mission and applicable law, the 

Parties intend to consider pursuing collaboration on civil space-related activities of 

mutual interest.

The broad categories for potential cooperative activities include, but are not limited to:

• Applied Energy and Energy-related Research and Development;

• Space Science;
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• Earth Science;

• Space Life and Physical Sciences;

• Space Technology;

• Computing and Modeling;

• Private Sector and Commercial Development; and

• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education.

Areas of specific interest include, but are not limited to: scientific observations of the 

early Universe using the Moon, Gateway platform activities, high-performance 

computing, modeling and simulation, lunar surface activities, power systems, planetary 

defense from near-Earth objects, sensor and satellite development, space nuclear power 

and propulsion, space safety, space situational awareness, space weather, and technology 

transfer.

II. Implementation

For NASA, the Administrator, and for DOE, the Secretary, will be ultimately responsible 

for the oversight of this MOU within their respective agencies. For NASA, the Deputy 

Administrator, and for DOE, the Deputy Secretary of Energy, will coordinate 

implementation of this MOU on behalf of their respective agencies.

A. Executive Committee

An Executive Committee, comprised of Federal employees, will be co-chaired by the 

NASA Deputy Administrator and the Deputy Secretary of Energy, and shall meet on 

a regular basis to guide implementation of this MOU and ensure that issues cutting 

across organizational lines in either agency are resolved expeditiously. As 

appropriate, the Executive Committee will meet in executive session with the NASA 

Administrator and the Secretary of Energy presiding. The Executive Committee may 

consult with non-Federal employees such as lab employees on an individual, 

occasional basis.

1. The Executive Committee will consider the following:

a. Status of collaborative activity between the Parties;

b. Status of the senior-level working groups;

c. NASA energy and technology-related requirements;

d. DOE space-related capabilities and programs;

e. Respective long-term strategies, plans, and/or roadmaps of potential mutual 

interest;

f. Coordination of engagement on joint activities with relevantCongressional 

committees and other common stakeholder communities; and,

g. Policy and programmatic issues of mutual concern.

2. The Executive Committee co-chairs will nominate appropriate officials from their 

respective organizations to participate as members of the Committee. The co-
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chairs will seek to nominate Committee members who hold sufficient authority 

within their respective organizations to fulfill the mandate of the Committee.

3. The DOE Office of Strategic Planning and Policy and the NASA Office of 

International and Interagency Relations will serve as the secretariat for the 

Executive Committee and will ensure coordination of Committee staff work.

B. Working Groups

1. As necessary, the Executive Committee will establish senior-level strategic 

working groups, comprised of Federal employees, which will report to the 

Executive Committee on mutual policy and program opportunities and challenges, 

as well as on areas where senior executive leadership engagement is needed. 

Where appropriate, these working groups will build on already established 

relationships between the Parties. The working groups may consult with nonFederal employees such as lab employees on an individual, occasional basis.

a. Initially, three joint working groups will be established. The first will focus 

on infrastructure that is needed on the lunar surface. The second will focus on 

nuclear power and propulsion in space. The third will focus on space science 

and innovation, to include space safety and planetary defense. The three joint 

working groups shall report back to the Executive Committee within six 

weeks of the signing of this Memorandum and provide one-page papers that 

report on:

i. Planning and designing the infrastructure needed for the Artemislunar 

base on the Moon’s surface.

ii. Developing, testing, and evaluating the Artemis lunar base power supply 

and grid systems. This effort should include a legislative plan and funding 

framework.

iii. Developing a multibillion-dollar plan to research, develop, test, and 

evaluate nuclear propulsion systems for Mars missions transporting 

astronauts. This effort should include a legislative plan and funding 

framework.

iv. Space science and high-end computing capabilities and data initiativesfor 

developing space situational awareness, space weather, and planetary 

defense. This effort could include sensor development that focuses on 

radiation for space weather applications and a planetary science sensor 

package design that is optimized for bolide detection and data collection. 

This effort should include a legislative plan and funding framework.

b. Where appropriate, include plans to involve additive and advanced 

manufacturing methods and processes.

2. At the discretion of the Executive Committee, these working groups will be led by 

NASA Associate Administrator/DOE Assistant Secretary-level co-chairs 

designated by the Executive Committee and will include the appropriate policy
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and program officials and experts needed to fulfill the charge of the working 

group.

3. The Executive Committee working groups will be defined such that their work 

will complement, and not interfere with, NASA-DOE project or program-specific 

working groups, or other interagency forums where NASA and DOE are 

participants.

4. Additional NASA-DOE working groups to consider potential collaboration and 

address issues in specific areas may be established at any level between the 

Parties.

C. Collaboration on Specific Activities

Should both Parties agree to enter into binding obligations in connection with the 

activities described in this MOU, the Parties will negotiate and enter into separate 

agreements, independent of this MOU, and as permitted by and in accordance with 

law and the respective Parties’ policies and processes.

III. Miscellaneous

A. This MOU is strictly for the management and planning purposes of each of the 

Parties.

B. This MOU does not support an obligation of funds, nor does it constitute a binding 

commitment upon either Party or create any legal rights or obligations for either 

Party.

C. Each Party shall be responsible for any and all expenses incurred by that Party 

relating to this MOU, and neither Party will be responsible for any expense incurred 

by the other Party unless specifically agreed to in writing, separate from and 

independent of this MOU.

D. Nothing in this MOU shall be interpreted as limiting, superseding, or otherwise 

affecting a Party from conducting normal operations or making decisions in carrying 

out its mission and duties.

E. This MOU does not limit or restrict the Parties from participating in similar activities 

or arrangements with other entities.

F. This MOU becomes effective upon the date of the last signature below (“Effective 

Date”) and shall remain in effect until either (a) a Party decides to terminate its 

participation according to Section III.G of this MOU, or (b) ten (10) years from the 

Effective Date, whichever comes first.
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G. This MOU may be terminated by mutual agreement of the NASA Administrator and 

the Secretary of Energy, or by either Party, upon thirty (30) calendar days written 

notice to the other Party.

H. Any modification to this MOU will be executed, in writing, and signed by an 

authorized representative of NASA and DOE.

I. This MOU supersedes the Memorandum of Understanding Between National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration and U.S. Department of Energy Regarding 

Energy-Related Civil Space Activities, signed on July 9, 1992.

J. This MOU does not supersede nor modify other memoranda or agreements existing 

between the Parties, such as the Memorandum of Understanding Between the 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Energy 

Concerning Radioisotope Power Systems, signed October 31, 2016.

IV. Signatures

The respective authorized officials of each organization hereby execute this MOU on the 

date set forth below.

James F. Bridenstine Dan Brouillette

Administrator Secretary of Energy

National Aeronautics and Space Administration U.S. Department of Energy

Date: 10/19/20 Date: 10/16/20