UNCLASSIFIED 

UNCLASSIFIED 

U.S. National Space Policy 

The President authorized a new national space policy on August 31, 2006 that establishes 

overarching national policy that governs the conduct of U.S. space activities. This policy 

supersedes Presidential Decision Directive/NSC-49/NSTC-8, National Space Policy, dated 

September 14, 1996. 

1. Background 

For five decades, the United States has led the world in space exploration and use and has 

developed a solid civil, commercial, and national security space foundation. Space activities 

have improved life in the United States and around the world, enhancing security, protecting 

lives and the environment, speeding information flow, serving as an engine for economic growth, 

and revolutionizing the way people view their place in the world and the cosmos. Space has 

become a place that is increasingly used by a host of nations, consortia, businesses, and 

entrepreneurs. 

In this new century, those who effectively utilize space will enjoy added prosperity and security 

and will hold a substantial advantage over those who do not. Freedom of action in space is as 

important to the United States as air power and sea power. In order to increase knowledge, 

discovery, economic prosperity, and to enhance the national security, the United States must 

have robust, effective, and efficient space capabilities. 

2. Principles 

The conduct of U.S. space programs and activities shall be a top priority, guided by the 

following principles: 

• The United States is committed to the exploration and use of outer space by all nations 

for peaceful purposes, and for the benefit of all humanity. Consistent with this principle, 

“peaceful purposes” allow U.S. defense and intelligence-related activities in pursuit of 

national interests; 

• The United States rejects any claims to sovereignty by any nation over outer space or 

celestial bodies, or any portion thereof, and rejects any limitations on the fundamental 

right of the United States to operate in and acquire data from space; 

• The United States will seek to cooperate with other nations in the peaceful use of outer 

space to extend the benefits of space, enhance space exploration, and to protect and 

promote freedom around the world; 

• The United States considers space systems to have the rights of passage through and 

operations in space without interference. Consistent with this principle, the United States 

will view purposeful interference with its space systems as an infringement on its rights; 

• The United States considers space capabilities -- including the ground and space 

segments and supporting links -- vital to its national interests. Consistent with this 

policy, the United States will: preserve its rights, capabilities, and freedom of action in 
UNCLASSIFIED 

UNCLASSIFIED 

2 

space; dissuade or deter others from either impeding those rights or developing 

capabilities intended to do so; take those actions necessary to protect its space 

capabilities; respond to interference; and deny, if necessary, adversaries the use of space 

capabilities hostile to U.S. national interests; 

• The United States will oppose the development of new legal regimes or other restrictions 

that seek to prohibit or limit U.S. access to or use of space. Proposed arms control 

agreements or restrictions must not impair the rights of the United States to conduct 

research, development, testing, and operations or other activities in space for U.S. 

national interests; and 

• The United States is committed to encouraging and facilitating a growing and 

entrepreneurial U.S. commercial space sector. Toward that end, the United States 

Government will use U.S. commercial space capabilities to the maximum practical 

extent, consistent with national security. 

3. United States Space Policy Goals 

The fundamental goals of this policy are to: 

• Strengthen the nation’s space leadership and ensure that space capabilities are available 

in time to further U.S. national security, homeland security, and foreign policy objectives; 

• Enable unhindered U.S. operations in and through space to defend our interests there; 

• Implement and sustain an innovative human and robotic exploration program with the 

objective of extending human presence across the solar system; 

• Increase the benefits of civil exploration, scientific discovery, and environmental 

activities; 

• Enable a dynamic, globally competitive domestic commercial space sector in order to 

promote innovation, strengthen U.S. leadership, and protect national, homeland, and 

economic security; 

• Enable a robust science and technology base supporting national security, homeland 

security, and civil space activities; and 

• Encourage international cooperation with foreign nations and/or consortia on space 

activities that are of mutual benefit and that further the peaceful exploration and use of 

space, as well as to advance national security, homeland security, and foreign policy 

objectives. 

4. General Guidelines 

In order to achieve the goals of this policy, the United States Government shall: 
UNCLASSIFIED 

UNCLASSIFIED 

3 

• Develop Space Professionals. Sustained excellence in space-related science, 

engineering, acquisition, and operational disciplines is vital to the future of U.S. space 

capabilities. Departments and agencies that conduct space related activities shall 

establish standards and implement activities to develop and maintain highly skilled, 

experienced, and motivated space professionals within their workforce. 

• Improve Space System Development and Procurement. United States space systems 

provide critical capabilities to a wide range of civil, commercial, and national security 

users. The primary goal of space system development and procurement must be mission 

success. Achieving this goal depends on effective research, development, acquisition, 

management, execution, oversight, and operations. Toward that end, departments and 

agencies shall create an environment that enables mission success, including, but not 

limited to, creating a common understanding of realistic and stable requirements and 

operational concepts; clearly identifying and managing risks, including system safety; 

setting and maintaining realistic and stable funding; delivering space capabilities on time 

and on budget; and providing acquisition managers with the tools, responsibility, budget 

flexibility, and authority to achieve this goal. 

• Increase and Strengthen Interagency Partnerships. The challenges of the 21st century 

require a focused and dedicated unity of effort. Interagency partnerships provide 

opportunities to jointly identify desired effects, capabilities, and strategies. Departments 

and agencies shall capitalize on opportunities for dynamic partnerships — whether 

through collaboration, information sharing, alignment, or integration. 

• Strengthen and Maintain the U.S. Space-Related Science, Technology, and 

Industrial Base. A robust science, technology, and industrial base is critical for U.S. 

space capabilities. Departments and agencies shall: encourage new discoveries in space 

science and new applications of technology; and enable future space systems to achieve 

new and improved capabilities, including incentives for high-risk/high-payoff and 

transformational space capabilities. Additionally, departments and agencies shall: 

conduct the basic and applied research that increases capability and decreases cost; 

encourage an innovative commercial space sector, including the use of prize 

competitions; and ensure the availability of space related industrial capabilities in support 

of critical government functions. 

5. National Security Space Guidelines 

United States national security is critically dependent upon space capabilities, and this 

dependence will grow. The Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence, after 

consulting, as appropriate, the Secretary of State and other heads of departments and agencies, 

and consistent with their respective responsibilities as set forth in the National Security Act of 

1947, as amended, Title 10, U.S.C. and Title 50 U.S.C., the National Security Intelligence 

Reform Act of 2004, and other applicable law, shall: 

• Support the President and the Vice President in the performance of Executive functions, 

and senior Executive Branch national security, homeland security, and foreign policy 
UNCLASSIFIED 

UNCLASSIFIED 

4 

decisionmakers; other Federal officials, as appropriate; and the enduring constitutional 

government operations and infrastructure; 

• Support and enable defense and intelligence requirements and operations during times of 

peace, crisis, and through all levels of conflict; 

• Develop and deploy space capabilities that sustain U.S. advantage and support defense 

and intelligence transformation; and 

• Employ appropriate planning, programming, and budgeting activities, organizational 

arrangements, and strategies that result in an operational force structure and optimized 

space capabilities that support the national and homeland security. 

To achieve the goals of this policy, the Secretary of Defense shall: 

• Maintain the capabilities to execute the space support, force enhancement, space control, 

and force application missions; 

• Establish specific intelligence requirements that can be met by tactical, operational, or 

national-level intelligence gathering capabilities; 

• Provide, as launch agent for both the defense and intelligence sectors, reliable, affordable, 

and timely space access for national security purposes; 

• Provide space capabilities to support continuous, global strategic and tactical warning as 

well as multi-layered and integrated missile defenses; 

• Develop capabilities, plans, and options to ensure freedom of action in space, and, if 

directed, deny such freedom of action to adversaries; 

• Have responsibility for space situational awareness; in this capacity, the Secretary of 

Defense shall support the space situational awareness requirements of the Director of 

National Intelligence and conduct space situational awareness for: the United States 

Government; U.S. commercial space capabilities and services used for national and 

homeland security purposes; civil space capabilities and operations, particularly human 

space flight activities; and, as appropriate, commercial and foreign space entities; and 

• Establish and implement policies and procedures to protect sensitive information 

regarding the control, dissemination, and declassification of defense activities related to 

space. 

To achieve the goals of this policy, the Director of National Intelligence shall: 

• Establish objectives, intelligence requirements, priorities and guidance for the 

intelligence community to ensure timely and effective collection, processing, analysis and 

dissemination of national intelligence; 

• Ensure that timely information and data support foreign, defense, and economic policies; 

diplomatic activities; indications and warning; crisis management; treaty compliance 
UNCLASSIFIED 

UNCLASSIFIED 

5 

verification; appropriate civil, homeland security, and law enforcement users; and 

perform research and development related to these functions; 

• Support military planning and satisfy operational requirements as a major intelligence 

mission; 

• Provide intelligence collection and analysis of space related capabilities to support space 

situational awareness for: the United States Government; U.S. commercial space 

capabilities and services used for national and homeland security purposes; civil space 

capabilities and operations, particularly human space flight activities; and, as appropriate, 

commercial and foreign space entities; 

• Provide a robust foreign space intelligence collection and analysis capability that 

provides timely information and data to support national and homeland security; 

• Coordinate on any radio frequency surveys from space conducted by United States 

Government departments or agencies and review, as appropriate, and approve any radio 

frequency surveys from space conducted by the private sector, State, or local 

governments; and 

• Establish and implement policies and procedures to: classify attributable collected 

information and operational details of intelligence activities related to space; protect 

sensitive activities; and declassify and release such information when the Director 

determines that protection is no longer needed. 

6. Civil Space Guidelines 

The United States shall increase the benefits of civil exploration, scientific discovery, and 

operational environmental monitoring activities. To that end, the Administrator, National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration shall: execute a sustained and affordable human and 

robotic program of space exploration and develop, acquire, and use civil space systems to 

advance fundamental scientific knowledge of our Earth system, solar system, and universe. 

The Secretary of Commerce, through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, shall in coordination with the Administrator, National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration, be responsible for operational civil environmental space-based remote 

sensing systems and management of the associated requirements and acquisition process as 

follows: 

• The Secretary of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense through the Secretary of 

the Air Force, and the Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

will continue to consolidate civil and military polar-orbiting operational environmental 

sensing systems in accordance with current policy direction; 

• The Secretary of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, shall continue a program of civil geostationary operational environmental 

satellites with support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and 
UNCLASSIFIED 

UNCLASSIFIED 

6 

• The Secretary of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, and the Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

shall ensure to the maximum extent possible that civil space acquisition processes and 

capabilities are not duplicated. 

The Secretary of the Interior, through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, shall collect, 

archive, process, and distribute land surface data to the United States Government and other 

users and determine operational requirements for land surface data. 

The United States will study the Earth system from space and develop new space-based and 

related capabilities to advance scientific understanding and enhance civil space-based Earth 

observation. In particular: 

• The Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall conduct a 

program of research to advance scientific knowledge of the Earth through space-based 

observation and development and deployment of enabling technologies; and 

• The Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, and other departments and agencies as appropriate, in support of longterm operational requirements, shall transition mature research and development 

capabilities to long-term operations, as appropriate. 

The United States will utilize government and commercial space-based and related capabilities 

wherever feasible to enhance disaster warning, monitoring, and response activities; and take a 

leadership role in international fora to establish a long-term plan for coordination of an integrated 

global Earth observation system and promote the adoption of policies internationally that 

facilitate full and open access to government environmental data on equitable terms. 

7. Commercial Space Guidelines 

It is in the interest of the United States to foster the use of U.S. commercial space capabilities 

around the globe and to enable a dynamic, domestic commercial space sector. To this end, 

departments and agencies shall: 

• Use U.S. commercial space capabilities and services to the maximum practical extent; 

purchase commercial capabilities and services when they are available in the commercial 

marketplace and meet United States Government requirements; and modify commercially 

available capabilities and services to meet those United States Government requirements 

when the modification is cost effective; 

• Develop systems when it is in the national interest and there is no suitable, cost effective 

U.S. commercial or, as appropriate, foreign commercial service or system that is or will 

be available when required; 

• Continue to include and increase U.S. private sector participation in the design and 

development of United States Government space systems and infrastructures; 
UNCLASSIFIED 

UNCLASSIFIED 

7 

• Refrain from conducting activities that preclude, deter, or compete with U.S. commercial 

space activities, unless required by national security or public safety; 

• Ensure that United States Government space activities, technology, and infrastructure are 

made available for private use on a reimbursable, non-interference basis to the maximum 

practical extent, consistent with national security; and 

• Maintain a timely and responsive regulatory environment for licensing commercial space 

activities and pursue commercial space objectives without the use of direct Federal 

subsidies, consistent with the regulatory and other authorities of the Secretaries of 

Commerce and Transportation and the Chairman of the Federal Communications 

Commission. 

8. International Space Cooperation 

The United States Government will pursue, as appropriate, and consistent with U.S. national 

security interests, international cooperation with foreign nations and/or consortia on space 

activities that are of mutual benefit and that further the peaceful exploration and use of space, as 

well as to advance national security, homeland security, and foreign policy objectives. Areas for 

potential international cooperation include, but are not limited to: 

• Space exploration; providing space surveillance information consistent with security 

requirements and U.S. national security and foreign policy interests; developing and 

operating Earth-observation-systems. 

The Secretary of State, after consultation with the heads of appropriate Departments and 

Agencies, shall carry out diplomatic and public diplomacy efforts, as appropriate, to build an 

understanding of and support for U.S. national space policies and programs and to encourage the 

use of U.S. space capabilities and systems by friends and allies. 

9. Space Nuclear Power 

Where space nuclear power systems safely enable or significantly enhance space exploration or 

operational capabilities, the United States shall develop and use these systems. The use of space 

nuclear power systems shall be consistent with U.S. national and homeland security, and foreign 

policy interests, and take into account the potential risks. In that regard: 

• Approval by the President or his designee shall be required to launch and use United 

States Government and non-government spacecraft utilizing nuclear power sources with a 

potential for criticality or above a minimum threshold of radioactivity, in accordance with 

the existing interagency review process; 

• To that end, the Secretary of Energy shall: conduct a nuclear safety analysis for 

evaluation by an ad hoc Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel which will evaluate 

the risks associated with launch and in-space operations; assist the Secretary of 

Transportation in the licensing of space transportation; provide nuclear safety monitoring 

to ensure that operations in space are consistent with the safety evaluation performed; and 
UNCLASSIFIED 

UNCLASSIFIED 

8 

maintain the capability and infrastructure to develop and furnish nuclear power systems 

for use in United States Government space systems; and 

• For government spacecraft, the head of the sponsoring Department or Agency shall 

request launch approval and be responsible for the safe operation of the spacecraft in 

space. 

• For the launch and use of non-government spacecraft utilizing nuclear power sources, the 

operator will be responsible for the safe operation of the spacecraft in space, including 

nuclear power sources. To that end: 

• The United States Government shall designate a point of entry and develop 

procedures for reviewing non-governmental missions that use space nuclear 

power systems; 

• The Secretary of Transportation shall be the licensing authority for U.S. 

commercial launch activities involving nuclear materials, including a payload 

determination, subject to the requirements described above; 

• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will license activities prior to launch that 

involve utilization facilities and nuclear materials not owned by the Department 

of Energy; 

• The United States Government will conduct safety analysis, evaluation, and 

nuclear safety monitoring on a fee-for-service basis, to the extent allowed by law, 

where the operator will fully reimburse the United States Government entity for 

services provided; and 

• The Secretary of Energy shall establish and implement policies and procedures to 

protect sensitive information regarding the control, dissemination, and 

declassification of space-related nuclear activities. 

10. Radio Frequency Spectrum And Orbit Management And Interference Protection 

The use of space for national and homeland security, civil, scientific, and commercial purposes 

depends on the reliable access to and use of radio frequency spectrum and orbital assignments. 

To ensure the continued use of space for these purposes, the United States Government shall: 

• Seek to obtain and protect U.S. global access to the radio frequency spectrum and orbital 

assignments required to support the use of space by the United States Government and 

commercial users; 

• Explicitly address requirements for radio frequency spectrum and orbit assignments prior 

to approving acquisition of new space capabilities; 

• Consistent with current approaches, assure, to the maximum practical extent, that U.S. 

national security, homeland security, civil, and commercial space capabilities and 
UNCLASSIFIED 

UNCLASSIFIED 

9 

services and foreign space capabilities and services of interest to the United States 

Government are not affected by harmful interference; and 

• Seek spectrum regulatory status under U.S. domestic regulations for United States 

Government owned and operated earth stations operating through commercial satellites, 

consistent with the regulatory status afforded commercial operations and with the 

allocation status of the satellite service. 

11. Orbital Debris 

Orbital debris poses a risk to continued reliable use of space-based services and operations and to 

the safety of persons and property in space and on Earth. The United States shall seek to 

minimize the creation of orbital debris by government and non-government operations in space 

in order to preserve the space environment for future generations. Toward that end: 

• Departments and agencies shall continue to follow the United States Government Orbital 

Debris Mitigation Standard Practices, consistent with mission requirements and cost 

effectiveness, in the procurement and operation of spacecraft, launch services, and the 

operation of tests and experiments in space; 

• The Secretaries of Commerce and Transportation, in coordination with the Chairman of 

the Federal Communications Commission, shall continue to address orbital debris issues 

through their respective licensing procedures; and 

• The United States shall take a leadership role in international fora to encourage foreign 

nations and international organizations to adopt policies and practices aimed at debris 

minimization and shall cooperate in the exchange of information on debris research and 

the identification of improved debris mitigation practices. 

12. Effective Export Policies 

As a guideline, space-related exports that are currently available or are planned to be available in 

the global marketplace shall be considered favorably. 

Exports of sensitive or advanced technical data, systems, technologies, and components, shall be 

approved only rarely, on a case-by-case basis. These items include systems engineering and 

systems integration capabilities and techniques or enabling components or technologies with 

capabilities significantly better than those achievable by current or near-term foreign systems. 

13. Space-Related Security Classification 

The design, development, acquisition, operations, and products of intelligence and defenserelated space activities shall be classified as necessary to protect sensitive technologies, sources 

and methods, and operations, consistent with E.O. 12958, E.O. 12951, and applicable law and 

regulation as amended. 

• The Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence shall establish and 

implement policies and procedures to protect, disseminate, and appropriately classify and 
UNCLASSIFIED 

UNCLASSIFIED 

10 

declassify activities and information related to their respective responsibilities outlined in 

this policy. Where appropriate, they shall coordinate their respective classification 

guidance. 

The following facts are unclassified: 

• The United States Government conducts: satellite photoreconnaissance that includes 

a near real-time capability; overhead signals intelligence collection; and overhead 

measurement and signature intelligence collection; and 

• United States Government photoreconnaissance is used to: 

• Collect intelligence; monitor compliance with arms control agreements; collect 

mapping, charting, and geodetic data that is used to support defense and other 

mapping-related activities; collect scientific and environmental data and data on 

natural or man-made disasters; and the foregoing categories of information can be 

provided to authorized federal agencies; 

• Provide information for indications and warning and the planning and conduct of 

military operations; and 

• Image the United States and its territories and possessions, consistent with 

applicable laws, for purposes including, but not limited to, homeland security.