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(c) AGREEMENTS.—To the extent provided in advance by appropriation 
Acts, any United States Government agency may enter into agreements for 
such utilization if such agreements are consistent with such agency’s mis-
sion and statutory authority, and if such remote sensing space system is li-
censed by the Secretary before commencing operation. 
(d) APPLICABILITY.—This section does not apply to activities carried out 
under subchapter IV. 
(e) EFFECT ON FCC AUTHORITY.—Nothing in this subchapter shall af-
fect the authority of the Federal Communications Commission pursuant to 
the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.). 
SUBCHAPTER IV—RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND 
DEMONSTRATION 
§ 60131. Continued Federal research and development 
(a) ROLES OF ADMINISTRATION AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator and the Secretary of Defense 
are directed to continue and to enhance programs of remote sensing 
research and development. 
(2) ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES AUTHORIZED AND ENCOURAGED.— 
The Administrator is authorized and encouraged to— 
(A) conduct experimental space remote sensing programs (in-
cluding applications demonstration programs and basic research at 
universities); 
(B) develop remote sensing technologies and techniques, includ-
ing those needed for monitoring the Earth and its environment; 
and 
(C) conduct such research and development in cooperation with 
other United States Government agencies and with public and pri-
vate research entities (including private industry, universities, non- 
profit organizations, State and local governments, foreign govern-
ments, and international organizations) and to enter into arrange-
ments (including joint ventures) which will foster such coopera-
tion. 
(b) ROLES OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND DEPARTMENT OF 
THE INTERIOR.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to enhance the ability of the United 
States to manage and utilize its renewable and nonrenewable resources, 
the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior are au-
thorized and encouraged to conduct programs of research and develop-
ment in the applications of remote sensing using funds appropriated 
for such purposes.
110 
(2) ACTIVITIES THAT MAY BE INCLUDED.—Such programs may in-
clude basic research at universities, demonstrations of applications, and 
cooperative activities involving other Government agencies, private sec-
tor parties, and foreign and international organizations. 
(c) ROLE OF OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Other United States Govern-
ment agencies are authorized and encouraged to conduct research and devel-
opment on the use of remote sensing in the fulfillment of their authorized 
missions, using funds appropriated for such purposes. 
§ 60132. Availability of federally gathered unenhanced data 
(a) IN GENERAL.—All unenhanced land remote sensing data gathered 
and owned by the United States Government, including unenhanced data 
gathered under the technology demonstration program carried out pursuant 
to section 60133 of this title, shall be made available to users in a timely 
fashion. 
(b) PROTECTION FOR COMMERCIAL DATA DISTRIBUTOR.—The President 
shall seek to ensure that unenhanced data gathered under the technology 
demonstration program carried out pursuant to section 60133 of this title 
shall, to the extent practicable, be made available on terms that would not 
adversely affect the commercial market for unenhanced data gathered by 
the Landsat 6 spacecraft. 
§ 60133. Technology demonstration program 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—As a fundamental component of a national land 
remote sensing strategy, the President shall establish, through appropriate 
United States Government agencies, a technology demonstration program. 
The goals of the program shall be to— 
(1) seek to launch advanced land remote sensing system components 
within 5 years after October 28, 1992; 
(2) demonstrate within such 5-year period advanced sensor capabili-
ties suitable for use in the anticipated land remote sensing program; 
and 
(3) demonstrate within such 5-year period an advanced land remote 
sensing system design that could be less expensive to procure and oper-
ate than the Landsat system projected to be in operation through the 
year 2000, and that therefore holds greater potential for private sector 
investment and control. 
(b) EXECUTION OF PROGRAM.—In executing the technology demonstra-
tion program, the President shall seek to apply technologies associated with 
United States National Technical Means of intelligence gathering, to the ex-
tent that such technologies are appropriate for the technology demonstration 
and can be declassified for such purposes without causing adverse harm to 
United States national security interests.
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(c) BROAD APPLICATION.—To the greatest extent practicable, the tech-
nology demonstration program established under subsection (a) shall be de-
signed to be responsive to the broad civilian, national security, commercial, 
and foreign policy needs of the United States. 
(d) PRIVATE SECTOR FUNDING.—The technology demonstration program 
under this section may be carried out in part with private sector funding. 
(e) LANDSAT PROGRAM MANAGEMENT COORDINATION.—The Landsat 
Program Management shall have a coordinating role in the technology dem-
onstration program carried out under this section. 
§ 60134. Preference for private sector land remote sensing 
system 
(a) IN GENERAL.—If a successor land remote sensing system to Landsat 
7 can be funded and managed by the private sector while still achieving the 
goals stated in subsection (b) without jeopardizing the domestic, national se-
curity, and foreign policy interests of the United States, preference should 
be given to the development of such a system by the private sector without 
competition from the United States Government. 
(b) GOALS.—The goals referred to in subsection (a) are— 
(1) to encourage the development, launch, and operation of a land 
remote sensing system that adequately serves the civilian, national se-
curity, commercial, and foreign policy interests of the United States; 
(2) to encourage the development, launch, and operation of a land 
remote sensing system that maintains data continuity with the Landsat 
system; and 
(3) to incorporate system enhancements, including any such enhance-
ments developed under the technology demonstration program under 
section 60133 of this title, which may potentially yield a system that 
is less expensive to build and operate, and more responsive to data 
users, than is the Landsat system otherwise projected to be in oper-
ation in the future. 
SUBCHAPTER V—GENERAL PROVISIONS 
§ 60141. Nondiscriminatory data availability 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection (b), any unenhanced 
data generated by the Landsat system or any other land remote sensing sys-
tem funded and owned by the United States Government shall be made 
available to all users without preference, bias, or any other special arrange-
ment (except on the basis of national security concerns pursuant to section 
60146 of this title) regarding delivery, format, pricing, or technical consid-
erations which would favor one customer or class of customers over another. 
(b) EXCEPTIONS.—Unenhanced data generated by the Landsat system or 
any other land remote sensing system funded and owned by the United
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States Government may be made available to the United States Government 
and its affiliated users at reduced prices, in accordance with this chapter, 
on the condition that such unenhanced data are used solely for noncommer-
cial purposes. 
§ 60142. Archiving of data 
(a) PUBLIC INTEREST.—It is in the public interest for the United States 
Government to— 
(1) maintain an archive of land remote sensing data for historical, 
scientific, and technical purposes, including long-term global environ-
mental monitoring; 
(2) control the content and scope of the archive; and 
(3) ensure the quality, integrity, and continuity of the archive. 
(b) ARCHIVING PRACTICES.—The Secretary of the Interior, in consulta-
tion with the Landsat Program Management, shall provide for long-term 
storage, maintenance, and upgrading of a basic, global, land remote sensing 
data set (hereafter in this section referred to as the ‘‘basic data set’’) and 
shall follow reasonable archival practices to ensure proper storage and pres-
ervation of the basic data set and timely access for parties requesting data. 
(c) DETERMINATION OF CONTENT OF BASIC DATA SET.—In determining 
the initial content of, or in upgrading, the basic data set, the Secretary of 
the Interior shall— 
(1) use as a baseline the data archived on October 28, 1992; 
(2) take into account future technical and scientific developments 
and needs, paying particular attention to the anticipated data require-
ments of global environmental change research; 
(3) consult with and seek the advice of users and producers of re-
mote sensing data and data products; 
(4) consider the need for data which may be duplicative in terms of 
geographical coverage but which differ in terms of season, spectral 
bands, resolution, or other relevant factors; 
(5) include, as the Secretary of the Interior considers appropriate, 
unenhanced data generated either by the Landsat system, pursuant to 
subchapter II, or by licensees under subchapter III; 
(6) include, as the Secretary of the Interior considers appropriate, 
data collected by foreign ground stations or by foreign remote sensing 
space systems; and 
(7) ensure that the content of the archive is developed in accordance 
with section 60146 of this title. 
(d) PUBLIC DOMAIN.—After the expiration of any exclusive right to sell, 
or after relinquishment of such right, the data provided to the National Sat-
ellite Land Remote Sensing Data Archive shall be in the public domain and