HR 3237 RFS 
20102.
Congressional declaration of policy and purpose. 
20103.
Definitions. 
SUBCHAPTER II—COORDINATION OF AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE ACTIVITIES 
20111.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
20112.
Functions of the Administration. 
20113.
Powers of the Administration in performance of functions. 
20114.
Administration and Department of Defense coordination. 
20115.
International cooperation. 
20116.
Reports to Congress. 
20117.
Disposal of excess land. 
SUBCHAPTER III—GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS 
20131.
Public access to information. 
20132.
Security requirements. 
20133.
Permission to carry firearms. 
20134.
Arrest authority. 
20135.
Property rights in inventions. 
20136.
Contributions awards. 
20137.
Malpractice and negligence suits against United States. 
20138.
Insurance and indemnification. 
20139.
Insurance for experimental aerospace vehicles. 
20140.
Appropriations. 
20141.
Misuse of agency name and initials. 
20142.
Contracts regarding expendable launch vehicles. 
20143.
Full cost appropriations account structure. 
20144.
Prize authority. 
20145.
Lease of non-excess property. 
20146.
Retrocession of jurisdiction. 
20147.
Recovery and disposition authority. 
SUBCHAPTER IV—UPPER ATMOSPHERE RESEARCH 
20161.
Congressional declaration of purpose and policy. 
20162.
Definition of upper atmosphere. 
20163.
Program authorized. 
20164.
International cooperation. 
SUBCHAPTER I—SHORT TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY, AND 
DEFINITIONS 
§ 20101. Short title 
This chapter may be cited as the ‘‘National Aeronautics and Space Act’’. 
§ 20102. Congressional declaration of policy and purpose 
(a) DEVOTION OF SPACE ACTIVITIES TO PEACEFUL PURPOSES FOR BEN-
EFIT OF ALL HUMANKIND.—Congress declares that it is the policy of the 
United States that activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes 
for the benefit of all humankind. 
(b) AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE ACTIVITIES FOR WELFARE AND SECU-
RITY OF UNITED STATES.—Congress declares that the general welfare and 
security of the United States require that adequate provision be made for 
aeronautical and space activities. Congress further declares that such activi-
ties shall be the responsibility of, and shall be directed by, a civilian agency 
exercising control over aeronautical and space activities sponsored by the 
United States, except that activities peculiar to or primarily associated with 
the development of weapons systems, military operations, or the defense of 
the United States (including the research and development necessary to 
make effective provision for the defense of the United States) shall be the 
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HR 3237 RFS 
responsibility of, and shall be directed by, the Department of Defense; and 
that determination as to which agency has responsibility for and direction 
of any such activity shall be made by the President. 
(c) COMMERCIAL USE OF SPACE.—Congress declares that the general 
welfare of the United States requires that the Administration seek and en-
courage, to the maximum extent possible, the fullest commercial use of 
space. 
(d) OBJECTIVES OF AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE ACTIVITIES.—The aero-
nautical and space activities of the United States shall be conducted so as 
to contribute materially to one or more of the following objectives: 
(1) The expansion of human knowledge of the Earth and of phe-
nomena in the atmosphere and space. 
(2) The improvement of the usefulness, performance, speed, safety, 
and efficiency of aeronautical and space vehicles. 
(3) The development and operation of vehicles capable of carrying in-
struments, equipment, supplies, and living organisms through space. 
(4) The establishment of long-range studies of the potential benefits 
to be gained from, the opportunities for, and the problems involved in 
the utilization of aeronautical and space activities for peaceful and sci-
entific purposes. 
(5) The preservation of the role of the United States as a leader in 
aeronautical and space science and technology and in the application 
thereof to the conduct of peaceful activities within and outside the at-
mosphere. 
(6) The making available to agencies directly concerned with national 
defense of discoveries that have military value or significance, and the 
furnishing by such agencies, to the civilian agency established to direct 
and control nonmilitary aeronautical and space activities, of informa-
tion as to discoveries which have value or significance to that agency. 
(7) Cooperation by the United States with other nations and groups 
of nations in work done pursuant to this chapter and in the peaceful 
application of the results thereof. 
(8) The most effective utilization of the scientific and engineering re-
sources of the United States, with close cooperation among all inter-
ested agencies of the United States in order to avoid unnecessary dupli-
cation of effort, facilities, and equipment. 
(9) The preservation of the United States preeminent position in aer-
onautics and space through research and technology development re-
lated to associated manufacturing processes. 
(e) GROUND PROPULSION SYSTEMS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.— 
Congress declares that the general welfare of the United States requires 
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HR 3237 RFS 
that the unique competence in scientific and engineering systems of the Ad-
ministration also be directed toward ground propulsion systems research 
and development. Such development shall be conducted so as to contribute 
to the objectives of developing energy and petroleum-conserving ground pro-
pulsion systems, and of minimizing the environmental degradation caused 
by such systems. 
(f) BIOENGINEERING RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION 
PROGRAMS.—Congress declares that the general welfare of the United 
States requires that the unique competence of the Administration in science 
and engineering systems be directed to assisting in bioengineering research, 
development, and demonstration programs designed to alleviate and mini-
mize the effects of disability. 
(g) WARNING
AND MITIGATION
OF POTENTIAL HAZARDS
OF NEAR- 
EARTH OBJECTS.—Congress declares that the general welfare and security 
of the United States require that the unique competence of the Administra-
tion be directed to detecting, tracking, cataloguing, and characterizing near- 
Earth asteroids and comets in order to provide warning and mitigation of 
the potential hazard of such near-Earth objects to the Earth. 
(h) PURPOSE OF CHAPTER.—It is the purpose of this chapter to carry 
out and effectuate the policies declared in subsections (a) to (g). 
§ 20103. Definitions 
In this chapter: 
(1) AERONAUTICAL
AND
SPACE
ACTIVITIES.—The term ‘‘aero-
nautical and space activities’’ means— 
(A) research into, and the solution of, problems of flight within 
and outside the Earth’s atmosphere; 
(B) the development, construction, testing, and operation for re-
search purposes of aeronautical and space vehicles; 
(C) the operation of a space transportation system including the 
space shuttle, upper stages, space platforms, and related equip-
ment; and 
(D) such other activities as may be required for the exploration 
of space. 
(2) AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE VEHICLES.—The term ‘‘aeronautical 
and space vehicles’’ means aircraft, missiles, satellites, and other space 
vehicles, manned and unmanned, together with related equipment, de-
vices, components, and parts. 
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SUBCHAPTER II—COORDINATION OF AERONAUTICAL AND 
SPACE ACTIVITIES 
§ 20111. National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATOR.—There is 
established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Admin-
istration shall be headed by an Administrator, who shall be appointed from 
civilian life by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Sen-
ate. Under the supervision and direction of the President, the Administrator 
shall be responsible for the exercise of all powers and the discharge of all 
duties of the Administration and shall have authority and control over all 
personnel and activities thereof. 
(b) DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR.—There shall be in the Administration a 
Deputy Administrator, who shall be appointed from civilian life by the 
President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Deputy 
Administrator shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as the 
Administrator may prescribe. The Deputy Administrator shall act for, and 
exercise the powers of, the Administrator during the Administrator’s ab-
sence or disability. 
(c) RESTRICTION ON OTHER BUSINESS OR EMPLOYMENT.—The Admin-
istrator and the Deputy Administrator shall not engage in any other busi-
ness, vocation, or employment while serving as such. 
§ 20112. Functions of the Administration 
(a) PLANNING, DIRECTING, AND CONDUCTING AERONAUTICAL
AND 
SPACE ACTIVITIES.—The Administration, in order to carry out the purpose 
of this chapter, shall— 
(1) plan, direct, and conduct aeronautical and space activities; 
(2) arrange for participation by the scientific community in planning 
scientific measurements and observations to be made through use of 
aeronautical and space vehicles, and conduct or arrange for the conduct 
of such measurements and observations; 
(3) provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination 
of information concerning its activities and the results thereof; 
(4) seek and encourage, to the maximum extent possible, the fullest 
commercial use of space; and 
(5) encourage and provide for Federal Government use of commer-
cially provided space services and hardware, consistent with the re-
quirements of the Federal Government. 
(b) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN CERTAIN TECHNOLOGIES.— 
(1) GROUND
PROPULSION
TECHNOLOGIES.—The Administration 
shall, to the extent of appropriated funds, initiate, support, and carry 
out such research, development, demonstration, and other related ac-
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