51 U.S.C. § 20101 — Short title

Page 6 TITLE 51—NATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL SPACE PROGRAMS § 20101 ‘‘(III) providing adequate and effective protec- tion for the intellectual property rights of com- panies described in subparagraph (A).’’ Subtitle II—General Program and Policy Provisions CHAPTER 201—NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE PROGRAM SUBCHAPTER I—SHORT TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY, AND DEFINITIONS Sec. 20101. Short title. 20102. Congressional declaration of policy and pur- pose. 20103. Definitions. SUBCHAPTER II—COORDINATION OF AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE ACTIVITIES 20111. National Aeronautics and Space Administra- tion. 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 vehi- cles. 20140. Appropriations. 20141. Misuse of agency name and initials. 20142. Contracts regarding expendable launch vehi- cles. 20143. Full cost appropriations account structure. 20144. Prize authority. 20145. Lease of non-excess property. 20146. Retrocession of jurisdiction. 20147. Recovery and disposition authority. 20148. Indemnification; NASA launch services and reentry services. 20149. Medical monitoring and research relating to human space flight. SUBCHAPTER IV—UPPER ATMOSPHERE RESEARCH 20161. Congressional declaration of purpose and pol- icy. 20162. Definition of upper atmosphere. 20163. Program authorized. 20164. International cooperation. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2017—Pub. L. 115–10, title III, § 305(b), title IV, § 443(b), Mar. 21, 2017, 131 Stat. 32, 47, added items 20148 and 20149. SUBCHAPTER I—SHORT TITLE, DECLARA- TION OF POLICY, AND DEFINITIONS § 20101. Short title This chapter may be cited as the ‘‘National Aeronautics and Space Act’’. (Pub. L. 111–314, § 3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3330.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Revised Section Source (U.S. Code) Source (Statutes at Large) 20101 .......... (no source) Chapter 201 of title 51 restates the National Aero- nautics and Space Act of 1958. Although short titles are generally eliminated as unnecessary in positive law ti- tles of the United States Code, in this case it was sug- gested that the short title ‘‘National Aeronautics and Space Act’’ be provided for convenience. § 20102. Congressional declaration of policy and purpose (a) DEVOTION OF SPACE ACTIVITIES TO PEACE- FUL PURPOSES FOR BENEFIT OF ALL HUMAN- KIND.—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 SECURITY OF UNITED STATES.— Congress declares that the general welfare and security of the United States require that ade- quate provision be made for aeronautical and space activities. Congress further declares that such activities 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 ac- tivities 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 nec- essary to make effective provision for the de- fense of the United States) shall be the responsi- bility of, and shall be directed by, the Depart- ment of Defense; and that determination as to which agency has responsibility for and direc- tion of any such activity shall be made by the President. (c) COMMERCIAL USE OF SPACE.—Congress de- clares that the general welfare of the United States requires that the Administration seek and encourage, to the maximum extent possible, the fullest commercial use of space. (d) OBJECTIVES OF AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE ACTIVITIES.—The aeronautical and space activi- ties 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 phenomena in the atmosphere and space. (2) The improvement of the usefulness, per- formance, speed, safety, and efficiency of aero- nautical and space vehicles. (3) The development and operation of vehi- cles capable of carrying instruments, equip- ment, 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 ac- tivities for peaceful and scientific 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