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July  4,  1982 
NATIONAL  SPACE  POLICY  TtTf 
I.    INTRODUCTION  AND  PRINCIPLES  ^PS 
This  directive  establishes  national  policy  to  guide  the 
conduct  of  United  States  space  program  and  related  activities; 
it  supersedes  Presidential  Directives  37 ,  42,  and  54,  as  well 
as  National  Security  Decision  Directive  8.   This  directive 
is  consistent  with  and  augments  the  guidance  contained  in 
existing  directives,  executive  orders,  and  law.   The  decisions 
outlined  in  this  directive  provide  the  broad  framework  and 
the  basis  for  the  commitments  necessary  for  the  conduct  of 
United  States  space  programs.  ^T*)^ 
The  Space  Shuttle  is  to  be  a  major  factor  in  the  future 
evolution  of  United  States  space  programs.   It  will  continue 
to  foster  cooperation  between  the  national  security  and  civil 
efforts  to  ensure  efficient  and  effective  use  of  national 
resources.   Specifically,  routine  use  of  the  manned  Space 
Shuttle  will  provide  the  opportunity  to  understand  better 
and  evaluate  the  role  of  man  in  space,  to  increase  the 
utility  of  space  programs,  and  to  expand  knowledge  of  the 
space  environment.  TtW- 
The  basic  goals  of  United  States  space  policy  are  to: 
(a)  strengthen  the  security  of  the  United  States;  (b)  maintain 
United  States  space  leadership;  (c)  obtain  economic  and 
scientific  benefits  through  the  exploitation  of  space; 
(d)  expand  United  States  private-sector  investment  and 
involvement  in  civil  space  and  space- related  activities; 
(e)  promote  international  cooperative  activities  that  are  in 
the  national  interest;  and  (f)  cooperate  with  other  nations 
in  maintaining  the  freedom  of  space  for  all  activities  that 
enhance  the  security  and  welfare  of  mankind.  "TtJ-^ 
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Partial  Text   of 
NSDD  42
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The  United  States  space  program  shall  be  conducted  in 
accordance  with  the  following  basic  principles:  TD1 — 
A*  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  mankind. 
B.  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  funda- 
mental right  to  acquire  data  from  space.  VO^- 
C.  The  United  States  considers  the  space  systems  of 
any  nation  to  be  national  property  with  the  right  of  passage 
through  and  operations  in  space  without  interference.  Purposeful 
interference  with  space  systems  shall  be  viewed  as  an  infringement 
upon  sovereign  rights.   TO") — 
D.  The  United  States  encourages  domestic  commercial 
exploitation  of  space  capabilities,  technology,  and  systems 
for  national  economic  benefit.   These  activities  must  be 
consistent  with  national  security  concerns,  treaties,  and 
international  agreements.   TtH^ 
E.  The  United  States  will  conduct  international 
cooperative  space-related  activities  that  achieve  sufficient 
scientific,  political,  economic,  or  national  security  benefits 
for  the  nation.   TtJ^ 
G.   The  United  States  Space  Transportation  System 
(STS)  is  the  primary  space  launch  system  for  both  national 
security  and  civil  government  missions.   STS  capabilities 
and  capacities  shall  be  developed  to  meet  appropriate  national 
needs  and  shall  be  available  to  authorized  users  —  domestic 
and  foreign ,  commercial,  and  governmental.   t&^.
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H.    The  United  States  will  pursue  activities  in  space 
in  support  of  its  right  of  self-defense.  "f&Jk^ 
I.    The  United  States  will  continue  to  study  space  arms 
control  options.   The  United  States  will  consider  verifiable 
and  equitable  arms  control  measures  that  would  ban  or  other- 
wise limit  testing  and  deployment  of  specific  weapons  systems 
should  those  measures  be  compatible  with  United  States 
national  securi 
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III.  CIVIL  SPACE  PROGRAM  >&) 
The  United  States  shall  conduct  civil  space  programs  to 
expand  knowledge  of  the  Earth,  its  environment,  the  solar 
system,  and  the  universe;  to  develop  and  promote  selected 
civil  application's  of  space  technology;  to  preserve  the 
United  States  leadership  in  critical  aspects  of  space  science, 
applications,  and  technology;  and  to  further  United  States 
domestic  and  foreign  policy  objectives.   Consistent  with  the 
National  Aeronautics  and  Space  Act,  the  following  policies 
shall  govern  the  conduct  of  the  civil  space  program.  rtJ7\ 
A.    Science ,  Applications ,  and  Technology :   United  States 
Government  civil  programs  shall  continue  a  balanced  strategy 
of  research,  development,  operations,  and  exploration  for 
science,  applications,  and  technology.   The  key  objectives 
of  these  programs  are  to:  TtH> 
(1)   Preserve  the  United  States  preeminence  in 
critical  major  space  activities  to  enable  continued  exploi 
tion  and  exploration  of  space.  Tt$4^ 
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(2)  Conduct  research  and  experimentation  to 
expand  understanding  of:  (a)  astrophysical  phenomena  and  the 
origin  and  evolution  of  the  universe ,  through  long- tern  astro- 
physical  observation;  (b)  the  Earth,  its  environment,  and 
its  dynamic  relation  with  the  Sun;  (c)  the  origin  and  evolution 
of  the  solar  system,  through  solar,  planetary,  and  lunar 
sciences  and  exploration;  and  (d)  the  space  environment  and 
technology  required  to  advance  knowledge  in  the  biological 
sciences.  ^TfrS 
(3)  Continue  to  explore  the  requirements,  operational 
concepts,  and  technology  associated  with  permanent  space 
facilities.  TIWl 
(4)  Conduct  appropriate  research  and  experimentation 
in  advanced  technology  and  systems  to  provide  a  basis  for 
future  civil  space  applications.  TtH^ 
B.  Private  Sector  Participation:   The  United  States 
Government  will  provide  a  climate  conducive  to  expanded 
private  sector  investment  and  involvement  in  civil  space 
activities,  with  due  regard  to  public  safety  and  national 
security*   Private  sector  space  activities  will  be  authorized 
and  supervised  or  regulated  by  the  government  to  the  extent 
required  by  treaty  and  national  security.  "HW— 
C.  International  Cooperation:   United  States  cooperation 
in  international  civil  space  activities  will:  TDT^ 
(1)  Support  the  public,  nondiscriminatory  direct 
readout  of  data  from  Federal  civil  systems  to  foreign  ground 
stations  and  the  provision  of  data  to  foreign  users  under 
specified  conditions,  tS-}^ 
(2)  Continue  cooperation  with  other  nations  by 
conducting  joint  scientific  and  research  programs  that  yield 
sufficient  benefits  to  the  United  States, 
        All  international  space 
ventures  must  be  consistent  with  United  States  technology- 
transfer  policy,  ^f^^ 
Civil  Operational  Remote  Sensing:   Management  of 
iivil  operational  remote  sensing  is  the  responsibili 
ty 
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of  the  Department  of  Commerce.   The  Department  of  Commerce 
will:  (a)  aggregate  Federal  needs  for  civil  operational  remote 
sensing  to  be  met  by  either  the  private  sector  or  the  Federal 
government;  (b)  identify  needed  civil  operational  system 
research  and  development  objectives;  and  (c)  in  coordination 
with  other  departments  or  agencies,  provide  for  regulation 
of  private-sector  operational  remote  sensing  systems.  ^KJ4-_ 
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VI.       INTER-SECTOR  RESPONSIBILITIES   "fa*^ 
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(Revised  June  1987) 
(1)   The  fact  that  the  United  States  conducts  satellite 
photoreconnaissance  for  peaceful  purposes ,    including  intelligence 
collection  and  the  monitoring  of  arms  control  agreements ,  is 
unclassified.   The  fact  that  such  photoreconnaissance  includes  a 
near-real-time  capability  and  is  used  to  provide  defense  related 
information  for  indications  and  warning  is  also  unclassified. 
All  other  details ,  facts  and  products-  concerning  the  national 
foreign  intelligence  space  program  are  subject  to  appropriate 
classification  and  security  controls.*   T*^ 
VI.   INTER-SECTOR  RESPONSIBILITIES   W*
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G.    The  United  States  Government  will  maintain  and 
coordinate  separate  national  security  and  civil  operational 
space  systems  when  differing  needs  of  the  sectors  dictate.  ^tiW^ 
VII.  IMPLEMENTATION  >«1 
Normal  interagency  coordinating  mechanisms  will  be 
employed  to  the  maximum  extent  possible  to  implement  the 
policies  enunciated  in  this  directive.   To  provide  a  fcrum 
to  all  Federal  agencies  for  their  policy  views ,  to  review 
and  advise  on  proposed  changes  to  national  space  policy,  and 
to  provide  for  orderly  and  rapid  referral  of  space  policy 
issues  to  the  President  for  decisions  as  necessary,  a  Senior 
Interagency  Group  (SIG)  on  Space  shall  be  established.   The 
SIG  (Space)  will  be  chaired  by  the  Assistant  to  the  President 
for  National  Security  Affairs  and  will  include  the  Deputy  or 
Under  Secretary  of  State,  Deputy  or  Under  Secretary  of 
Defense,  Deputy  or  Under  Secretary  of  Commerce,  Director  of 
Central  Intelligence,  Chairman  of  the  Joint  Chiefs  of  Staff, 
Director  of  the  Arms  Control  and  Disarmament  Agency,  and  the 
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Administrator  of  the  National  Aeronautics  and  Space  Adminis- 
tration.  Representatives  of  the  Office  of  Management  and 
Budget  and  the  Office  of  Science  and  Technology  Policy  will 
be  included  as  observers.   Other  agencies  or  departments  will 
participate  based  on  the  subjects  to  be  addressed.   TtH~ 
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