I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2750 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration 
of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 15, 2007 
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas (for herself and Mr. CULBERSON) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins 
in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the estab-
lishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis-
tration and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘NASA and JPL 50th 
Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
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(1) The National Aeronautics and Space Ad-
ministration began operation on October 1, 1958, 
with about 8,000 employees and an annual budget 
of $100,000,000. 
(2) Over the next 50 years, the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration and the Jet Pro-
pulsion Laboratory have been involved in many de-
fining events which have shaped the course of 
human history and demonstrated to the world the 
character of the people of the United States. 
(3) Among the many firsts by the National Aer-
onautics and Space Administration are the following: 
(A) On December 6, 1958, the United 
States launched Pioneer 3, the first United 
States satellite to ascend to an altitude of 
63,580 miles. 
(B) On March 3, 1959, the United States 
sent Pioneer 4 to the Moon, successfully mak-
ing the first United States lunar flyby. 
(C) On April 1, 1960, the United States 
launched TIROS 1, the first successful mete-
orological satellite, observing Earth’s weather. 
(D) On May 5, 1961, Freedom 7, carrying 
Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr., was the first 
American space flight involving human beings. 
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(E) On February 20, 1962, John Glenn 
became the first American to circle the Earth, 
making three orbits in his Friendship 7 Mer-
cury spacecraft. 
(F) On December 14, 1962, Mariner 2 be-
came the first spacecraft to commit a successful 
planetary flyby (Venus). 
(G) On April 6, 1965, the United States 
launched Intelsat I, the first commercial sat-
ellite 
(communications), 
into 
geostationary 
orbit. 
(H) On June 3–7, 1965, the second piloted 
Gemini mission, Gemini IV, stayed aloft for 4 
days and astronaut Edward H. White II per-
formed the first EVA or spacewalk by an Amer-
ican. 
(I) On June 2, 1966, Surveyor 1 became 
the first American spacecraft to soft-land on 
the Moon. 
(J) On November 13, 1971, the United 
States launched Mariner 9, the first mission to 
orbit another planet (Mars). 
(K) On April 12, 1981, the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration launched the 
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Space Shuttle Columbia on the first flight of 
the Space Transportation System (STS–1). 
(L) On June 18–24, 1983, the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration launched 
Space Shuttle Challenger (STS–7) carrying 3 
mission specialists, including Sally K. Ride, the 
first woman astronaut. 
(M) In another historic mission, 2 months 
later the National Aeronautics and Space Ad-
ministration launched STS–8 carrying the first 
black American astronaut, Guion S. Bluford. 
(N) On July 22, 1999, the Space Shuttle 
Columbia’s 26th flight was led by Air Force 
Col. Eileen Collins, the first woman to com-
mand a Shuttle mission. 
(4) On April 9, 1959, the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration unveiled the Mercury as-
tronaut corps, 7 men with ‘‘the right stuff’’: John 
H. Glenn, Jr., Walter M. Schirra, Jr., Alan B. 
Shepard, Jr., M. Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Coo-
per, Virgil I. ‘‘Gus’’ Grissom, and Donald K. 
‘‘Deke’’ Slayton. 
(5) On May 25, 1961, President John F. Ken-
nedy, reflecting the highest aspirations of the Amer-
ican people, proclaimed: ‘‘I believe this Nation 
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should commit itself to achieving the goal, before 
this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon 
and returning him safely to Earth. No single space 
project in this period will be more impressive to 
mankind, or more important in the long-range explo-
ration of space; and none will be so difficult or ex-
pensive to accomplish.’’ 
(6) On September 19, 1961, the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration announced that 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
center dedicated to human space flight would be 
built in Houston, Texas. 
(7) In 1973, the Manned Spacecraft Center in 
Houston was renamed the Lyndon B. Johnson 
Space Center. 
(8) On December 21, 1968, Apollo 8 took off 
atop a Saturn V booster from the Kennedy Space 
Center for a historic mission to orbit the Moon. 
(9) As Apollo 8 traveled outward, the crew fo-
cused a portable television camera on Earth and for 
the first time humanity saw its home from afar, a 
tiny, lovely, and fragile ‘‘blue marble’’ hanging in 
the blackness of space. 
(10) This transmission and viewing of Earth 
from a distance was an enormously significant ac-
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complishment and united the Nation at a time when 
American society was in crisis over Vietnam, race re-
lations, urban problems, and a host of other difficul-
ties. 
(11) On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts 
Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin made the 
first lunar landing mission while Michael Collins or-
bited overhead in the Apollo command module. 
(12) Armstrong set foot on the surface, telling 
the millions of listeners that it was ‘‘one small step 
for man, one giant leap for mankind’’; Aldrin soon 
followed and planted an American flag, but omitted 
claiming the land for the United States as had rou-
tinely been done during European exploration of the 
Americas. 
(13) The 2 Moon walkers left behind an Amer-
ican flag and a plaque bearing the inscription: 
‘‘Here Men From Planet Earth First Set Foot Upon 
the Moon. Jul. 1969 A.D. We Came in Peace for All 
Mankind.’’ 
(14) On July 4, 1997, the Mars Pathfinder 
landed on Mars and on January 29, 1998, an Inter-
national Space Station agreement among 15 coun-
tries met in Washington, DC, to sign agreements to 
establish the framework for cooperation among the 
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partners on the design, development, operation, and 
utilization of the Space Station. 
(15) The National Aeronautics and Space Ad-
ministration’s stunning achievements over the last 
50 years have been won for all mankind at great 
cost and sacrifice; in the quest to explore the uni-
verse, many National Aeronautics and Space Admin-
istration employees have lost their lives, including 
the crews of Apollo 6, the Space Shuttle Challenger, 
and the Space Shuttle Columbia. 
(16) The United States should pay tribute to 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory by minting and 
issuing a commemorative silver dollar coin. 
(17) The surcharge proceeds from the sale of a 
commemorative coin would generate valuable fund-
ing for the National Aeronautics and Space Admin-
istration Families Assistance Fund for the purposes 
of providing need-based financial assistance to the 
families of the National Aeronautics and Space Ad-
ministration personnel who die as a result of injuries 
suffered in the performance of their official duties. 
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. 
(a) DENOMINATIONS.—In commemoration of the 
50th anniversary of the establishment of the National Aer-
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onautics and Space Administration and the Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in 
this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall mint and 
issue the following coins: 
(1) $50 GOLD COINS.—Not more than 50,000 
$50 gold coins which shall— 
(A) weigh 33.931 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 32.7 millimeters; 
and 
(C) contain 1 troy ounce of fine gold. 
(2) $1 SILVER COINS.—Not more than 300,000 
$1 coins of each of the 9 designs specified in section 
3(a)(3)(B), which shall— 
(A) weigh 26.73 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and 
(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 per-
cent copper. 
(b) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this 
Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of 
title 31, United States Code. 
(c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 
5134 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted 
under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 
(d) MINTAGE LEVEL LIMIT.—Notwithstanding the 
mintage 
level 
limit 
described 
under 
section 
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5112(m)(2)(A)(ii) of title 31, United States Code, the Sec-
retary of the Treasury may mint and issue not more than 
300,000 of each of the 9 $1 coins authorized to be minted 
under this Act. 
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS. 
(a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The design of the coins 
minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the 50 
years of exemplary and unparalleled achievements of 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 
(2) DESIGNATION
AND
INSCRIPTIONS.—On 
each coin minted under this Act there shall be— 
(A) a designation of the value of the coin; 
(B) an inscription of the year ‘‘2008’’; and 
(C) inscriptions of the words ‘‘Liberty’’, 
‘‘In God We Trust’’, ‘‘United States of Amer-
ica’’, and ‘‘E Pluribus Unum’’, and such other 
inscriptions as the Secretary may determine to 
be appropriate for the designs of the coins. 
(3) COIN IMAGES.— 
(A) $50 COINS.— 
(i) OBVERSE.—The obverse of the 
$50 coins issued under this Act shall bear 
an image of the sun. 
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(ii) REVERSE.—The reverse of the 
$50 coins issued under this Act shall bear 
a design emblematic of the sacrifice of the 
United States astronauts who lost their 
lives in the line of duty over the course of 
the space program. 
(iii) HIGH RELIEF.—The design and 
inscriptions on the obverse and reverse of 
the $50 coins issued under this Act shall 
be in high relief. 
(B) $1 COINS.— 
(i) OBVERSE.—The obverse of the $1 
coins issued under this Act shall bear 9 
different designs each of which shall con-
sist of an image of 1 of the 9 planets of 
the solar system, including Earth. 
(ii) REVERSE.—The reverse of the $1 
coins issued under this Act shall bear dif-
ferent designs each of which shall be em-
blematic of discoveries and missions of the 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory to the planet 
depicted on the obverse of the coin, subject 
to the following requirements: 
(I) EARTH COIN.—The reverse of 
the $1 coins issued under this Act 
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which bear an image of the Earth on 
the obverse shall bear images emblem-
atic of, and honoring, the discoveries 
and missions of the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration, the 
Mercury, Gemini and Space Shuttle 
missions and other manned Earth-or-
biting missions, and the Apollo mis-
sions to the Moon. 
(II) JUPITER COIN.—The reverse 
of the $1 coins issued under this Act 
which bear an image of the planet Ju-
piter on the obverse shall include a 
scientifically accurate depiction of the 
Galilean moon Europa and depict 
both a past and future mission to Eu-
ropa. 
(III) SATURN COIN.—The reverse 
of the $1 coins issued under this Act 
which bear an image of the planet 
Saturn on the obverse shall include a 
scientifically accurate depiction of the 
moon Titan and depict both a past 
and a future mission to Titan. 
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(IV) PLUTO (AND OTHER DWARF 
PLANETS) COIN.—The reverse of the 
$1 coins issued under this Act which 
bear an image of the planet Pluto on 
the obverse shall include a design that 
is emblematic of telescopic exploration 
of deep space by the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration and 
the ongoing search for Earth-like 
planets orbiting other stars. 
(4) REALISTIC AND SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE 
DEPICTIONS.—The images for the designs of coins 
issued under this Act shall be selected on the basis 
of the realism and scientific accuracy of the images 
and on the extent to which the images are reminis-
cent of the dramatic and beautiful artwork on coins 
of the so-called ‘‘Golden Age of Coinage’’ in the 
United States, at the beginning of the Twentieth 
Century, with the participation of such noted sculp-
tors and medallic artists as James Earle Fraser, Au-
gustus Saint-Gaudens, Victor David Brenner, Ad-
olph A. Weinman, Charles E. Barber, and George T. 
Morgan. 
(b) SELECTION.—The design for the coins minted 
under this Act shall be— 
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(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation 
with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration, the Director of the Jet 
Propulsion Laboratory, and the Commission of Fine 
Arts; and 
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coin Advisory 
Committee. 
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS. 
(a) QUALITY OF COINS.—Coins minted under this 
Act shall be issued in proof quality only. 
(b) MINT FACILITY.—Only 1 facility of the United 
States Mint may be used to strike any particular combina-
tion of denomination and quality of the coins minted under 
this Act. 
(c) COMMENCEMENT OF ISSUANCE.—The Secretary 
may issue coins minted under this Act beginning January 
1, 2008. 
(d) TERMINATION
OF MINTING AUTHORITY.—No 
coins may be minted under this Act after December 31, 
2008. 
(e) ISSUANCE
OF GOLD COINS.—Each gold coin 
minted under this Act may be issued only as part of a 
complete set with 1 of each of the 9 $1 coins minted under 
this Act. 
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SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS. 
(a) SALE PRICE.—The coins issued under this Act 
shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum 
of— 
(1) the face value of the coins; 
(2) the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with 
respect to such coins; and 
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins 
(including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 
overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping). 
(b) PREPAID ORDERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept 
prepaid orders for the coins minted under this Act 
before the issuance of such coins. 
(2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to pre-
paid orders under paragraph (1) shall be at a rea-
sonable discount. 
(c) PRESENTATION.—In addition to the issuance of 
coins under this Act in such other methods of presentation 
as the Secretary of the Treasury determines to be appro-
priate, the Secretary shall provide, as a sale option, a pres-
entation case which displays the $50 gold coin in the cen-
ter surrounded by the $1 silver coins in elliptical orbits. 
All such presentation cases shall bear a plaque with appro-
priate inscriptions that include the names and dates of the 
spacecraft missions on which United States astronauts 
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lost their lives over the course of the space program and 
the names of such astronauts. 
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—All sales of coins minted under 
this Act shall include a surcharge as follows: 
(1) A surcharge of $50 per coin for the $50 
coin. 
(2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin. 
(b) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f) of 
title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by 
the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act 
shall be promptly distributed as follows: 
(1) The first $4,000,000 available for distribu-
tion under this section, to the NASA Family Assist-
ance Fund for the purposes of providing need-based 
financial assistance to the families of NASA per-
sonnel who die as a result of injuries suffered in the 
performance of their official duties. 
(2) Of amounts available for distribution after 
the payment under paragraph (1), 1⁄2 of the next 
$1,000,000 to each of the following: 
(A) The Dr. Ronald E. McNair Edu-
cational (D.R.E.M.E.) Science Literacy Foun-
dation for the purposes of improving and 
strengthening the process of teaching and 
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learning science, math, and technology at all 
educational levels, elementary through college 
through the promotion of innovative educational 
programs. 
(B) The Dorothy Jemison Foundation for 
Excellence for the purposes of supporting the 
work of the Foundation in building critical 
thinking skills, experiential teaching methods, 
science literacy, and integrated approaches to 
learning and individual responsibility in achiev-
ing excellence. 
(3) The remainder of the amounts available for 
distribution after the payments under paragraphs 
(1) and (2), to the Secretary of the Smithsonian In-
stitution for the preservation, maintenance, and dis-
play of space artifacts at the National Air and Space 
Museum (including the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Cen-
ter). 
(c) AUDITS.—The NASA Family Assistance Fund, 
the Dr. Ronald E. McNair Educational Science Literacy 
Foundation, the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excel-
lence, and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 
shall be subject to the audit requirements of section 
5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with regard 
to the amounts received under subsection (b). 
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SEC. 8. BRONZE DUPLICATES. 
The Secretary may strike and sell bronze duplicates 
of the $50 gold coins authorized under this Act, at a price 
the Secretary determines to be appropriate. Such dupli-
cates shall not be considered to be United States coins 
and shall not be legal tender. 
Æ 
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