SpaceRef - History - United States - Legislation And Space Policy

Explanation of Executive Branch Policy Directives - This NASA History Office page describes the evolution and purpose of documents developed by the White House to guide U.S. space policy. [NASA History Office].

Long Range Plan of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - This plan drafted in December 1959 sets out a series of goals and timelines for America's space program for the upcoming decade of the 1960's - and beyond. [NASA History Office].

National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (As Amended) - This page contains the complete text of the law that created NASA in 1958 as well as the amendments made to it since its first drafting. [NASA History Office].

National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (Unamended) - This page contains the complete text of the law that created NASA in 1958. [NASA History Office].

National Space Policy Directives 1989-1992 - This website contains all national space policy directives issued by the White House between 1989-1992. [NASA History Office].

National Space Technology Council Presidential Decision Directives - This NASA History Office website contains all National Space Technology Council Presidential Decision Directives issued between 1989-1992. [NASA History Office].

NSDD 5-83, Space Station - This directive, issued on April 11, 1983, established the terms of reference for a study on the desirability of a space station and whether the US should proceed with the development of one. [NASA History Office].

NSDD-42, "National Space Policy" - This directive was issued on July 4, 1982 and reiterated thecentral role of the Space Transportation System in U.S. space activities. It also established as the primary forum for space policy formulation the National Security Council Senior Interagency Group (Space)--SIG (Space). [NASA History Office].

NSPD-1: National Space Policy Directives and Charter - NSPD-1 articulated the Bush Administration's overall policy for U.S. purposes and activities in Space. [NASA History Office].

NSPD-2: Commercial Space Launch Policy - National Space Policy Directives NSPD-2 ("Commercial Space Launch Policy", 1990) reflected the Administration's commitment to developing a thriving commercial space sector by establishing the long-term goal of a free and fair space launch] market in which the U.S. industry can compete internationally. [NASA History Office].

NSPD-3: U.S. Commercial Space Launch Policy Guidelines - National Space Policy Directives NSPD-3 elaborated the Administration's commercial Space policy with specific guidelines aimed at expanding private sector investment in space by the market-driven Commercial Space Sector. [NASA History Office].

NSPD-4: National Space Launch Strategy - National Space Policy Directives NSPD-4 affirmed assured access to Space as a key element of National space launch policy. [NASA History Office].

NSPD-5: Landsat Remote Sensing Strategy - National Space Policy Directives NSPD-5 directed a continuity of Landsat-type remote sensing data. [NASA History Office].

NSPD-6: Space Exploration Initiative - National Space Policy Directives NSPD-6 ("Space Exploration Initiative", 1992) announced a White House commitment to an ambitious program of human Space exploration. [NASA History Office].

NSPD-7: Space-Based Global Change Observation - National Space Policy Directives NSPD-7 sought to ensure well-coordinated planning and implementation of a U.S. program to examine natural and human-induced changes in the Earth system. [NASA History Office].

NSTC-1: Establishment of Presidential Review and Decision Series/NSTC - National Space Technology Council Presidential Decision Directive NSTC-1 contains national policy, guidelines, and implementing actions with respect to the conduct of United States space programs and related activities. [NASA History Office].

NSTC-2: Convergence of U.S.-Polar Operational Environmental Satellite Systems - National Space Technology Council Presidential Decision Directive NSTC-2 describes the roles and responsibilities of various government agencies in the management and coordination of civil and military polar-orbiting environmental satellite systems which collect, process, and distribute remotely-sensed meteorological, oceanographic, and space environmental data. [NASA History Office].

NSTC-3: Landsat Remote Sensing Strategy - National Space Technology Council Presidential Decision Directives NSTC-3 elaborated the Administration's commercial Space policy with specific guidelines "aimed at expanding private sector investment in space by the market-driven Commercial Space Sector". [NASA History Office].

NSTC-4 : National Space Transportation Policy - National Space Technology Council Presidential Decision Directives NSTC-4 establishes national policy, guidelines, and implementing actions for the conduct of National space transportation programs that will sustain and revitalize U.S.space transportation capabilities. [NASA History Office].

Presidential Directive on National Space Policy - This directive, issued on February 11, 1988, and prompted by the Space Shuttle Challenger accident and increase dinterest in space commercialization, presented a new statement of national space policy. [NASA History Office].

Presidential Directive/NSC-37, "National Space Policy" - This directive, issued on May 11, 1978, resulted from a comprehensive review of U.S. space policy and programs undertaken during the early months of the Carter administration. It dealt primarily with the relationships among the civilian and national security portions of the national space program. [NASA History Office].

Principal Recommendations of the Augustine Commission - This reporrt, issued in December 1990, offered specific recommendations pertaining to civil space goals and program content as well as suggestions relating to internal NASA management. [NASA History Office].

Recommendations to NASA Regarding a National Civil Space Program (October 28, 1958) - This report contains recommendation for how America should structure its newly developed space program. [NASA History Office].

Report of the Ad Hoc Panel on Man-in-Space - This report published on December 16, 1960 resulted from a request by President Eisenhower to his Science Advisor George Kisiatowsky to study "the goals, the missions and the costs" of the manned spaceflight program that NASA had in mind. [NASA History Office].

Report of the Presidential Transition Team, NASA - This report, issued on December 19, 1980 was drafted by the transition team assembled to advise President-elect Ronald Reagan on space issues and provided a detailed set of recommendations and actions for the incoming administration. [NASA History Office].

Report to the President-Elect of the Ad Hoc Committee on Space - This report dated January 10, 1961 was presented to President-elect Kennedy to advise him the nation's space accomplishments and plans for future activities. [NASA History Office].

The Post-Apollo Space Program: Directions for the Future - This September 1969 report reviewed the accomplishments of the Apollo program and made recommendations for space activies in the post-Apollo era. [NASA History Office].