National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act, 1981
PL 96-316 (S.2240), enacted 07/30/1980

94 STAT. 960 
PUBLIC LAW 96-316—JULY 30, 1980 
Public Law 96-316 
96th Congress 
An Act 
July 30, 1980 
[S. 2240] 
National 
Aeronautics and 
Space 
Administration 
Authorization 
Act, 1981. 
Facilities, 
construction. 
To authorize appropriations to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
for research and development, construction of facilities, and research and pro-
gram management, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of 
America in Congress assembled. That there is hereby 
authorized to be appropriated to the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration to become available October 1,1980: 
(a) For "Research and development", for the following programs: 
(1) Space Shuttle, $1,873,000,000; 
(2) Space flight operations, $779,500,000; 
(3) Expendable launch vehicles, $55,700,000; 
(4) Physics and astronomy, $352,700,000; 
(5) Planetary exploration, $179,600,000; 
(6) Life sciences, $45,200,000; 
(7) Space applications, $378,700,000; 
(8) Technology utilization, $12,600,000; 
(9) Aeronautical research and technology, $290,800,000; 
(10) Space research and technology, $115,200,000; 
(11) Energy technology, $4,000,000; and 
(12) Tracking and data acquisition, $349,750,000. 
(b) For "Construction of facilities", including land acquisition, as 
follows: 
(1) Construction of man-vehicle systems research facility, 
Ames Research Center, $7,480,000; 
(2) Modification of steam ejector system and thermal protec-
tion laboratory, Ames Research Center, $2,300,000; 
(3) Modification of the unitary plan wind tunnel, Ames 
Research Center, $3,400,000; 
(4) Modifications to various buildings for energy conservation, 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, $1,500,000; 
(5) Modifications to various buildings for seismic protection. 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, $2,000,000; 
(6) Rehabilitation of high temperature hot water system, zone 
2, industrial area, John F. Kennedy Space Center, $760,000; 
(7) Modifications for avionics integration research laboratory, 
Langley Research Center, $5,756,000; 
(8) Modifications to aircraft landing dynamics facility, Langley 
Research Center, $15,000,000; 
(9) Rehabilitation and modification of 
gas dynamics laboratory, 
Langley Research Center, $2,000,000; 
(10) Decommissioning of Plum Brook Station reactor facility, 
Lewis Research Center, $1,000,000; 
(11) Modifications to central air system, various buildings, 
Lewis Research Center, $7,655,000; 
(12) Rehabilitation of electrical switchgear, engine research 
building, Lewis Research Center, $1,700,000; 
PUBLIC LAW 96-316—JULY 30, 1980 
94 STAT. 961 
(13) Rehabilitation of roof, Phase II, Building 103, Michoud 
Assembly Facility, $3,800,000; 
(14) Rehabilitation of chilled water system, Michoud Assembly 
Facility, $782,000; 
(15) Modification of 26-meter antenna, DSS-44, Canberra, 
Australia, $1,200,000; 
(16) Replacement of azimuth radial bearing, DSS-14, Gold-
stone, California, $950,000; 
(17) Space Shuttle facilities at various locations as follows: 
(A) Modification of manufacturing and final assembly 
facilities for external tanks, Michoud Assembly Facility, 
$5,400,000; 
(B) Modifications to solid rocket motor manufacturing and 
assembly 
facilities, 
Thiokol 
plant, 
Wasatch, 
Utah, 
$2,700,000; 
(C) Minor Shuttle-unique projects, various locations, 
$2,000,000; 
(18) Space Shuttle payload facility: Rehabilitation and modifi-
cation for payload ground support operations, John F. Kennedy 
Space Center, $1,617,000; 
(19) Repair of facilities at various locations, not in excess of 
$500,000 per project, $15,000,000; 
(20) Rehabilitation and modification of facilities at various 
locations, not in excess of $500,000 per project, $20,000,000; 
(21) Minor construction of new facilities and additions to 
existing facilities at various locations, not in excess of $250,000 
per project, $4,000,000; and 
(22) Facility planning and design not otherwise provided for, 
$10,000,000. 
(c) For "Research and program management", $1,033,154,000 and 
such additional or supplemental amounts as may be necessary for 
increases in salary, pay, retirement, or other employee benefits 
authorized by law. 
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection Kg), appropri-
ations hereby authorized for "Research and development" may be 
used (1) for any items of a capital nature (other than acquisition of 
land) which may be required at locations other than installations of 
the Administration for the performance of research and development 
contracts, and (2) for grants to nonprofit institutions of higher 
education, or to nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is the 
conduct of scientific research, for purchase or construction of addi-
tional research facilities; and title to such facilities shall be vested in 
the United States unless the Administrator determines that the 
national program of aeronautical and space activities will best be 
served by vesting title in any such grantee institution or organiza-
tion. Each such grant shall be made under such conditions as the 
Administrator shall determine to be required to insure that the 
United States will receive therefrom benefit adeciuate to justify the 
making of that grant. None of the funds appropriated for "Research 
and development" pursuant to this Act may be used in accordance 
with this subsection for the construction of any major facility, the 
estimated cost of which, including collateral equipment, exceeds 
$250,000, unless the Administrator or his designee has notified the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the 
Senate and the Committee on Science and Technology of 
the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Research and 
program 
management. 
Research and 
development. 
94 STAT. 962 
PUBLIC LAW 96-316—JULY 30, 1980 
Scientific 
consultations or 
extraordinary 
expenses. 
Report to 
congressional 
committees. 
Transfer of 
funds. 
Transportation of the Senate of the nature, location, and estimated 
cost of such facility. 
(e) When so specified and to the extent provided in an appropri-
ation act, (1) any amount appropriated for "Research and develop-
ment" or for ' Construction of facilities" may remain available 
without fiscal year limitation, and (2) maintenance and operation of 
facilities, and support services contracts may be entered into under 
the "Research and program management" appropriation for periods 
not in excess of twelve months beginning at any time during the fiscal 
year. 
(0 Appropriations made pursuant to subsection 1(c) may be used, 
but not to exceed $25,000, for scientific consultations or extraordinary 
expenses upon the approval or authority of the Administrator and his 
determination shall be final and conclusive upon the accounting 
officers of the Government. 
(g) Of the funds appropriated pursuant to subsections 1(a) and 1(c), 
not in excess of $75,000 for each project, including collateral equip-
ment, may be used for construction of new facilities and additions to 
existing facilities, and for repair, rehabilitation, or modification of 
facilities: Provided, That, of the funds appropriated pursuant to 
subsection 1(a), not in excess of $250,000 for each project, including 
collateral equipment, may be used for any of the foregoing for 
unforeseen programmatic needs. 
SEC. 2. Authorization is hereby granted whereby any of the 
amounts prescribed in paragraphs (1) through (21), inclusive, of 
subsection 1(b)— 
(1) in the discretion of the Administrator or his designee, may 
be varied upward 10 percent, or 
(2) following a report by the Administrator or his designee to 
the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate on the circumstances of such 
action, may be varied upward 25 percent, 
to meet unusual cost variations, but the total cost of all work 
authorized under such paragraphs shall not exceed the total of the 
amounts specified in such paragraphs. 
SEC. 3. Not to exceed one-half of 1 percent of the funds appropriated 
pursuant to subsection 1(a) hereof may be transferred to the "Con-
struction of facilities" appropriation, and, when so transferred, 
together with $10,000,000 of the funds appropriated pursuant to 
subsection Kb) hereof (other than funds appropriated pursuant to 
paragraph (22) of such subsection) shall be available for expenditure 
to construct, expand, or modify laboratories and other installations at 
any location (including locations specified in subsection 1(b)), if (1) the 
Administrator determines such action to be necessary because of 
changes in the national program of aeronautical and space activities 
or new scientific or engineering developments, and (2) he determines 
that deferral of 
such action until the enactment of 
the next authoriza-
tion act would be inconsistent with the interest of the Nation in 
aeronautical and space activities. The funds so made available mav 
be expended to acquire, construct, convert, rehabilitate, or install 
permanent or temporary public works, including land acquisition, 
site preparation, appurtenances, utilities, and equipment. No portion 
of such sums may be obligated for expenditure or expended to 
construct, expand, or modify laboratories and other installations 
unless (A) a period of thirty days has passed after the Administrator 
or his designee has transmitted to the Speaker of the House of 
PUBLIC LAW 96-316—JULY 30, 1980 
94 STAT. 963 
Representatives and to the President of the Senate and to the 
Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representa-
tives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transporta-
tion of the Senate a written report containing a full and complete 
statement concerning (1) the nature of such construction, expansion, 
or modification, (2) the cost thereof including the cost of any real 
estate action pertaining thereto, and (3) the reason whv such con-
struction, expansion, or modification is neccessary in the national 
interest, or (B) each such committee before the expiration of such 
period has transmitted to the Administrator written notice to the 
effect that such committee has no objection to the proposed action. 
SEC. 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act— 
(1) no amount appropriated pursuant to this Act may be used 
for any program deleted by the Congress from requests as 
originally made to either the House Committee on Science and 
Technology or the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, 
(2) no amount appropriated pursuant to this Act may be used 
for any program in excess of the amount actually authorized for 
that particular program by subsections 1(a) and 1(c), and 
(3) no amount api)ropriated pursuant to this Act may be used 
for any program which has not been presented to or requested of 
either such committee, 
unless (A) a period of thirty days has passed after the receipt by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the 
Senate and each such committee of notice given by the Administrator 
or his designee containing a full and complete statement of the action 
proposed to be taken andthe facts and circumstances relied upon in 
support of such proposed action, or (B) each such committee before 
the expiration of such period has transmitted to the Administrator 
written notice to the effect that such committee has no objection to 
the proposed action. 
SEC. 5. It is the sense of the Congress that it is in the national 
interest that consideration be given to geographical distribution of 
Federal research funds whenever feasible, and that the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration should explore ways and 
means of distributing its research and development funds whenever 
feasible. 
SEC. 6. This Act may be cited as the "National Aeronautics and Short title. 
Space Administration Authorization Act, 1981". 
Approved July 30, 1980. 
Federal research 
funds, 
geographical 
distribution. 
42 u s e 2459 
note. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 96-899 accompanying H.R. 6413 (Comm. on Science and 
Technology) and No. 96-1142 (Comm. of Conference). 
SENATE REPORT No. 96-719 (Comm. on Commerce, Science and Transportation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 126 (1980): 
June 3, considered and passed Senate. 
June 13, H.R. 6413 considered and passed House; passage vacated and S. 2240, 
amended, passed in lieu. 
July 2, House agreed to conference report. 
July 21, Senate agreed to conference report.