National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Headquarters 

Washington, DC 20546-0001 

June 6, 2019 NID 8600.121

ReplytoAttnof· Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate

TO: Officials-in-Charge of Headquarters Offices 

Directors, NASA Centers 

FROM: Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations 

SUBJECT: NASA Interim Directive (NID): Use oflntemational Space Station (ISS) 

for Commercial and Marketing Activities 

NASA Strategic Objective 2.1 directs the Agency to "lay the foundation for America to 

maintain a constant human presence in low-Earth orbit (LEO) to be enabled by a commercial 

market." As part of developing this economy, NASA is using the ISS to stimulate both the 

supply and demand of robust commercial marketplace, with the vision of a sustained LEO 

human spaceflight presence where NASA could be one of many customers. 

As part of this vision, this NID establishes ISS Program policies governing Commercial and 

Marketing Activities that can be carried out on the ISS by U.S. entities. The NID specifically 

addresses policies including: 

• Manufacturing, production, transportation, or marketing of commercial resources and 

goods, including products intended for commercial sale on Earth. 

• Inclusion of Private Astronauts on United States Government (USG) or commercial 

missions to the ISS and associated on-orbit activities; including Commercial and 

Marketing Activities. 

• USG Astronauts conducting coordinated and scheduled activities in support of 

Commercial and Marketing Activities. 

• Provision of resources available for use on the ISS for Commercial and Marketing 

Activities and associated pricing. 

Additionally, the NID specifically calls out areas where these policies do not apply, including 

the ISS National Laboratory allocation, NASA's commitments to its International Partners, and 

other traditionally governmental activities to which NASA reserves exclusive rights. The NID 

is consistent with Administration policy on commercial uses of LEO, and is consistent with the 

NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017. 
The NID will be publicly announced in June 2019, with the intention of stimulating 

commercial interest in new uses of ISS. HEOMD will maintain control over this policy, and 

will update it periodically as market conditions in LEO develop.

William H. Gerstenmaier 

Enclosures 

2 
NASA Interim Directive (NID) on Use of International Space 

Station (ISS) for Commercial and Marketing Activities 

RESPONSIBLE OFFICE: Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) 

1.0 PURPOSE 

NASA seeks to achieve a continuous U.S. human presence in low-Earth orbit (LEO) - both with 

government astronauts and with private citizens - in order to support the utilization of space by 

U.S. citizens, companies, academia, and international partners and to maintain a permanent 

American foothold on the nearest part of the space frontier. As part of developing this economy, 

NASA is using the International Space Station (ISS) to stimulate the supply and demand of a 

robust commercial marketplace, with the vision of a sustained LEO human spaceflight presence 

where NASA could be one of many customers. This document supports this goal by establishing 

NASA ISS Program policies governing Commercial and Marketing Activities using the U.S. 

Government (USG) Modules with the intent of catalyzing and nurturing these markets leading to 

a commercial economy in LEO. 

2.0 APPLICABILITY 

This NID is applicable to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component 

Facilities and Technical and Service Support Centers. This NID applies to the Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory which is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center, contractors, grant 

recipients, or parties to cooperative agreements, and other agreements to the extent specified or 

referenced in appropriate contracts, grants, or agreements. 

3.0 SCOPE 

This NID1 is applicable to activities that have been identified by NASA as emerging commercial 

markets in LEO. These emerging markets can supplement the scientific research and technology 

development activities currently undertaken through the ISS National Laboratory. Additional 

areas of Commercial Activities may be added via updates to this NID as identified. 

The Commercial and Marketing Activities addressed in this policy specifically include: 

1. Manufacturing, production, transportation, or marketing of commercial resources and

goods, including products intended for commercial sale on Earth;

2. Inclusion of Private Astronauts on USG or commercial missions to the ISS and

associated on-orbit activities, including Commercial and Marketing Activities;

3. USG Astronauts conducting coordinated and scheduled activities in support of

Commercial and Marketing Activities; and

1 To see this Nill and other NASA Policies, please visit: https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/OPD/OPD_list.cfm https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/OPD/OPD list.cfm

1 
4. Provision of resources available for use on the ISS for Commercial and Marketing

Activities and associated pricing.

This NID does not address or implicate in any way: 

1. Scientific research and technology development activities currently conducted through the

ISS National Laboratory, including allocation ofISS resources;

2. Restrictions on NASA's ability to provide ISS resources to directly support Commercial

arid Marketing Activities without reimbursement or arrangement to recover costs to

NASA;

3. NASA's requirements to make opportunities for Commercial and Marketing Activities on

the ISS available in a fair and open manner;

4. NASA's commitments to the ISS partners, their rights and obligations as outlined in the

ISS Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA), Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), and

program documentation;

5. Activities to be conducted in the International Partner Modules or a Commercial Element,

that does not use USG Astronauts, civil servants, or other USG resources;

6. Private Astronaut activities for purposes other than conducting Commercial and

Marketing Activities in the USG Modules.

4.0 OBJECTIVES AND DEFINITIONS 

4.1 OBJECTIVES 

Per the International Space Station Transition Plan2 delivered to Congress in March 2018, NASA 

identified ISS transition principles which laid out plans to: 

• Have continuity among NASA's LEO, deep space exploration, development and research

activities, and missions toward expanding human presence into the solar system. • Expand U.S. human spaceflight leadership in LEO and deep space exploration, including

continuity of the relationship with our current ISS international partners. • Increase platform options in LEO to enable more ISS transition pathways, security

through redundant capabilities, and industrial capability that can support NASA's deep

space exploration needs. • Continue to reduce the USG's long-term costs through private industry partnerships and

competitive acquisition strategies. • Continue to return benefits to humanity through USG-sponsored basic and applied onorbit research - including National Lab.

This NID is intended to enable these objectives and is consistent with the National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration Transition Authorization Act (NTAA) of2017.3 Once U.S. Entities 

2 

"International Space Station Transition Report pursuant to Section 303(c)(2) of the NASA Transition 

Authorization Act of2017" (P.L. 115-10); National Aeronautics and Space Administration, March 30, 2018; can be 

accessed online at: https:/ /www.nasa.gov/ sites/default/files/ atoms/files/iss transition report 18033 O.pdf

3 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization Act of 2017, Pub. L. 115-10, 131 Stat. 

18; can be accessed online at: https://www.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ10/PLAW-115publl0.pdf 2 
are able to provide such activities or capabilities, NASA intends to adjust this NID, in whole or 

in part, as market conditions mature. Performance metrics for the success of this policy will be 

established and reported in accordance with criteria established by HEOMD. 

4.2 DEFINITIONS 

Below are a list of terms used in this document : 

Term Definition 

Cargo Transfer Bag 

Equivalent (CTBE) 

Unit for size of bag used to transport cargo from 

visiting vehicles , such as SpaceX, Northrop 

Grumman, or H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), to the 

ISS. Dimensions are 19 in x 16.25 in x 9 in, ( 48.3 cm 

x 41.3 cm x 22.9 cm). Weight limit is 60 lbs (27.2 

kg). 

Category B Activity A non-government activity that does not meet the 

requirements of Section 5.1 of this NID . See Figure 

5.1.1. 

Commercial Element Any individual habitable module, external platform, 

or deployable structure attached to ISS, owned and 

operated by a U.S. Entity to accommodate on-orbit 

activities. 

Commercial and Marketing 

Activity (Category A) 

Non-governmental activity (including marketing for 

such activity) proposed for execution within the USG 

Modules, with support from USG astronauts, or in 

NASA ground facilities. See Figure 5.1.1. 

International Partner 

Astronaut 

An individual, who is acting in their official capacity, 

has been qualified as an astronaut by their space 

agency, and is employed as a member of the 

astronaut corps of the agency of an ISS Partner 

(CSA, ESA, Government of Japan (GOJ)/JAXA and 

Roscosmos ). 

International Partner 

Elements 

Japanese Experiment Module by Japan Aerospace 

Exploration Agency (JAXA), Columbus Research 

Laboratory by European Space Agency (ESA), Space 

Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) by 

Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Special Purpose 

Dexterous Manipulator (Dextre) by CSA, and 

modules provided by Roscomos State Corporation 

for Space Activities (Roscosmos) (See Figure 4.2.1). 

3 
ISS Crew Member Any person approved for flight to the ISS beginning 

upon assignment to the crew for a specific 

government or commercial mission and ending upon 

completion of the post-flight activities related to their 

nnss1on. 

ISS Partner Signatories to the Agreement Among The 

Government Of Canada, Governments Of The 

Member States OfESA, GOJ, The Government Of 

The Russian Federation, and The Government Of 

The United States Of America Concerning 

Cooperation On The Civil International Space 

Station (IGA). 

ISS Resources ISS consumables (e.g. food, air) system capabilities 

or facilities ( e.g. power, data, life support), whether 

on ground or on-orbit systems, that enable 

commercial missions, including upmass, downmass, 

and trash disposal. 

ISS Services Activities to be conducted by ISS crew or NASA 

ground personnel in support of Commercial 

Activities and/or Private Astronaut Missions 

Private Astronaut ISS Crew Member who is not a USG Astronaut or an 

ISS International Partner Astronaut. 

Private Astronaut Mission Commercial mission consisting of activities 

conducted by Private Astronauts on the ISS or in a 

Commercial Element attached to the ISS. 

U.S. Entity A (1) U.S. national or (2) entity organized under the 

laws of the U.S. that is more than 50 percent owned 

by U.S . nationals. 

U.S. Government (USG) 

Astronauts 

An individual who meets the definition of 

"government astronaut" under 51 USC § 50902 

( 4)(A), (B), and (C)(i), which means an individual 

who is an employee of the U.S. Government, 

including the uniformed services, engaged in the 

performance of a Federal function under authority of 

law or an Executive act and designated as a 

government astronaut by NASA in accordance with 

applicable NASA requirements. 

4 
U.S. Government (USG) 

Modules 

Node 1 (Unity), Joint Airlock (Quest), Node 3 

(Tranquility), Cupola, Permanent Multipurpose 

Module, US Laboratory (Destiny), and Node 2 

(Harmony), FGB (Functional Cargo Block). See 

Figure 4.2.1. 

Figure 4.2.1: Component View of the International Space Station 

5 
5.0 AUTHORIZED COMMERCIAL AND MARKETING ACTIVITIES 

--

Ongoing activities 

allowed today 

ISS National Lab Research 

& Technology Development 

NASA Research and 

Technology Development 

.... :, c:: • a, § a, .__ 

CII > cq;

cC - a, -

cC ZC, 

l? 1 ;·g c:: j 

CD = 

a, a,

c1i=15 

C SI 

z

oJ·= ----------· !!:,

New Commercial and Marketing Activities 

Category A Category B 

Section 5.1 Section 5.1 

COmmercial AH Other Activities with Activities Marketing Activities with no ties to microgravity, with ties to microgravity, ties to microgravity, 

NASA's NASA's mission, or mission, or NASA's mission, or sustaining a low-Earth sustaining a low-Earth sustaining a low-Earth orbit economy orbit economy orbit economy 

Section 6.3.2 

NotAuthoriZed 

Figure 5.Ll Graphical Representation of Authorized Activities on ISS 

5.1 PREREQUISITES TO PERFORM COMMERCIAL AND MARKETING 

ACTIVITIES 

Commercial and Marketing Activities anticipated to be conducted in the USG Modules must 

comply with at least one of the following:4

1. Require the unique microgravity environment to enable manufacturing or production

or development of a commercial application; or

2. Have a nexus to the NASA mission;5 or

3. Support the development of a sustainable LEO economy.

4 

Activities which do not meet these requirements are considered Category B Activities and are not currently 

authorized to be conducted in the USG Modules. 

5 

See 51 U.S.C. § 20102. Congressional declaration of policy and purpose; can be accessed online at 

http://uscode.house.gov/statviewer.htm?volume=124&page= 6 3330
5.2 AUTHORIZED COMMERCIAL AND MARKETING ACTIVITIES 

U.S. Entities meeting the prerequisites above shall have the ability to pursue the following 

activities in the USG Modules: 

1. Commercial Activities (Category A), including activities that can be defined as nongovernment but are not considered research or technology development. 6 This includes

manufacturing, production, or transportation of goods. Commercial Activities must meet

all requirements:set forth in this NID.

2. Marketing Activities (Category A) that are factually accurate and meet NASA's media

and advertising guidelines. 7 Marketing activities must also meet all requirements set forth

in this NID.

5.3 REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL AND MARKETING ACTIVITIES TO BE 

CONDUCTED ON THE ISS 

Commercial and Marketing Activities conducted on the ISS and facilitated by NASA or using 

USG resources shall comply with all of the following: 

1. Shall comply with all U.S. laws and regulations;

2. Shall not compromise the safety of NASA civil servant or contractor personnel, NASA

facilities, ISS Crew Members, ISS Modules, or on-orbit vehicles;

3. Shall not reflect unfavorably on NASA, any ISS Partner, or related entity;

4. Shall be subject to the IGA, MOUs and implementing arrangements, and related

obligations to the ISS Partners;

5. Shall respect the intellectual property rights (including rights of publicity) of NASA, U.S.

Entities, ISS Crew Members, ISS Partners, or any of their related entities;

6. Shall only task USG Astronauts and other USG personnel with duties consistent with the

Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, 5 C.F.R. Part

2635, and all other applicable USG ethics requirements;

7. Shall be executed through an arrangement with a U.S. Entity or NASA;

8. Shall adhere to the Code of Conduct for International Space Station Crew;8

9. Shall not imply or suggest NASA or USG endorsement for any Commercial Activity;

10. Shall not use any image(s) of the NASA insignia or emblem, or other material(s) that

could imply that the Commercial Activity is endorsed or supported by NASA;

11. Shall not use any corporate name(s), logo(s), or trademark(s) depicted in marketing

activities without permission.

In order for an activity tb be approved for conduct in the USG Modules and therefore an ISS 

duty, the activity must (1) have met all requirements above and (2) be docwnented in a written 

agreement between NASA and the U.S. Entity pursuing the activity. 

6 

Research and development activities are conducted through the ISS National Laboratory allocation ofISS 

resources. 

7 

NASA Media Use Guidelines can be accessed online at: https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/guidelines/index.html 

NASA Advertising Guidelines can be accessed online at: 

https://www.nasa.gov/audierice/formedia/features/ Advertising Guidelines.html

8 

Code of Conduct for International Space Station Crew, 14 Code ofFederitl Regulations (C.F.R.) § 1214.4 

7 
6.0 ISS CREW MEMBER SUPPORT OF COMMERCIAL AND 

MARKETING ACTIVITIES 

The following sections outline the policies for Private Astronauts and NASA/USG Astronauts to 

support approved Commercial and Marketing Activities on the ISS. 

6.1 CREW CODE OF CONDUCT FOR INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION 

The Crew Code of Conduct (CCOC) for International Space Station applies to any person 

approved for flight to the ISS, including Private Astronauts, beginning upon assignment to the 

crew for a specific mission and ending upon completion of the postflight activities related to 

their mission. All coordinated and scheduled Commercial and Marketing Activities utilizing 

USG Modules and performed by ISS Crew Members, as defined in the CCOC, shall be approved 

by NASA through established processes for crew assignments and considered ISS duties under 

the CCOC. 9 All ISS Crew Members remain subject to the authority of the ISS Commander and 

are subject to restrictions on their use of position and mementos and personal effects. They also 

remain subject to disciplinary policy of the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel, as well as other 

restrictions on physical and information security, as provided in the CCOC. 

9 Conduct of an approved activity in compliance with a written agreement with NASA and sections 5.0 and 6.0 is an 

ISS duty under the Crew Code of Conduct, Part II, Subpart C. Under the CCOC, such approved ISS duties are "not 

considered to be motivated by private gain." USG astronauts and all USG employees are additionally subject to 

USG ethics requirements as identified herein, and nothing in this NID alters these domestic requirements or the 

meaning of terms used in conjunction with them. 

6.2 PRIVATE ASTRONAUTS 

The following outlines the approved and prohibited activities of a private astronaut conducting 

approved Commercial and Marketing Activities on ISS. Each Private Astronaut mission shall be 

executed through an arrangement with a U.S. Entity. All activities of Private Astronauts shall 

require advance coordination with, and approval by, NASA. 

6.2.1 Private Astronaut Supported Activities 

A Private Astronaut assigned to a mission on the ISS shall have the ability to conduct ISS duties: 

1. Approved Commercial and Marketing Activities, within the constraints of sections 5.0 

(Authorized Commercial and Marketing Activities) and 6.0 (ISS Crewmember Support 

of Commercial and Marketing Activities); 

2. Subject to the permission of the respective ISS Partner or a Commercial Element owner, 

Private Astronauts may pursue approved Category B Activities in areas other than USG 

elements including International Partner Modules or Commercial Elements as long as 

such activities are in accordance with the CCOC, applicable contracts or agreements, and 

other limitations pertaining to the activities of such Private Astronauts. 

8 
6.2.2 Private Astronauts Prohibited Activities

Unless otherwise agreed to by NASA, a Private Astronaut assigned to a mission on the ISS shall 

be prohibited from the following activities: 

1. Tasks that include use of high criticality hardware as determined by the ISS program;

2. Volunteer services when undertaken for the direct benefit or use of the USG.

6.3 U.S. GOVERNMENT ASTRONAUTS 

The following outlines the approved and prohibited activities of a USG Astronaut conducting 

Commercial and Marketing Activities on the ISS. 

6.3.1 USG Astronaut Supported Activities 

A USG Astronaut shall have the ability to conduct reimbursable support of approved 

Commercial and Marketing Activities provided that no individually distinctive or identifiable 

attributes of the USG Astronaut, visual or auditory, may appear in marketing, and any support is 

consistent with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, 5 

C.F.R. Part 2635, and all other USG ethics requirements.10

10 

Nothing in this NID is intended to limit NASA's ability to educate, inform, and inspire the public consistent with 

NASA's statutory responsibility to "provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information 

concerning its activities and the results thereof." 51 U.S.C.A. § 20112 (aX3); can be accessed online at: 

http://uscode.house.gov/statviewer.htm?volume=124&page=3333

6.3.2 USG Astronauts Prohibited Activities 

USG Astronauts assigned to a mission on the ISS are prohibited from the following duties in 

conjunction with Commercial and Marketing Activities: 

1. Marketing Activities in which individually distinctive or identifiable attributes of the

USG Astronaut,-visual or auditory, appear or any other activity prohibited by USG ethics

requirements;

2. Tasks that have not been coordinated and scheduled under this NID;

3. Category B Activities.

7.0 PURCHASING AND USING ISS RESOURCES 

NASA has reserved a set amount of resources intended to serve Commercial and Marketing 

Activities, as shown in Figure 7 .1. 

The ISS Resources identified are: 

1. Available for purchase;

2. Shall be provided only on a non-interference basis; and

3. Subject to change if crew safety (including Private Astronauts), vehicle safety, and/or

mission objectives are at risk.

http://uscode.house.gov/statviewer.htm ?volume=l 24&page=3 3 3 3.

9 
 

Current Expanded Commercial Use 

Private Firms 

(Commercial, 

Non-Profit) 

Physical ;and 

Life Sciences 

Humun Research 

Program 

Acodemic 

Institutions Expior.-tt1011

Rese.1rch & 

Technology 

Other USG 

AgCP.CJC5 Scu:.•ncf' 

Missions ■ NASA UllllzaUon 

• ISS Natlonal Lab 

■ ln1emational Par1nen, 

Commercial Non-R&D 

Pmrate F,rms 

(Ccrnnerc;;:u.

Non-Profit) 

Acndem,c 

Institutions 

Other USG 

Agencies 

P:,ys1c,1I ,1nd 

Life Sciences 

Hurnnn Research 

Program 

Exploration

Rcsc-arch & 

T c:hnology 

Science 

Missions 

Figure 7 .1: USOS Resources Allocated for Commercial Use (not to scale) 

All Commercial and Marketing Activities that utilize ISS Resources shall require a Reimbursable 

Space Act Agreement (RSAA) or another arrangement with NASA to recover costs to NASA. 

U.S Entities may not resell purchased ISS Resources under any circumstances.

NASA is restricted from competing with the U.S. private sector; therefore, if, at any point, a U.S. 

Entity is available to provide any of these resources, NASA shall, to the best of its ability, 

migrate the provision of such services to the non-USG provider. 

Pricing for resources available for use on the ISS for Commercial and Marketing Activities can 

be found at https://www.nasa.gov/leo-economy/low-earth-orbit-economy. The prices do not 

reflect full recovery ofNASA's costs and may be subject to adjustment. II NASA shall reassess 

the value and amount of available resources approximately every six months and make

adjustments as necessary. These prices are for the specific purposes noted in this 

policy. Alternate prices are utilized for activities outside ofthis policy. 

I I The requirements in NPR 9090 .1 with respect to an Agency CFO waiver are not required for the pricing offered 

under this NID. The JSC Center CFO is delegated latitude to design an appropriate EPR process to capture costs and 

waived amounts for subject activities; the requirements ofNPR 9090 otherwise remain in full effect. 

10