[112th Congress Public Law 185]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 126 STAT. 1425]]

Public Law 112-185
112th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To confirm full ownership rights for certain United States astronauts to 
     artifacts from the astronauts' space missions. <<NOTE: Oct. 5, 
                         2012 -  [H.R. 4158]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DEFINITION OF ARTIFACT.

    For purposes of this Act, the term ``artifact'' means, with respect 
to an astronaut described in section 2(a), any expendable item utilized 
in missions for the Mercury, Gemini, or Apollo programs through the 
completion of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project not expressly required to be 
returned to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration at the 
completion of the mission and other expendable, disposable, or personal-
use items utilized by such astronaut during participation in any such 
program. The term includes personal logs, checklists, flight manuals, 
prototype and proof test articles used in training, and disposable 
flight hardware salvaged from jettisoned lunar modules. The term does 
not include lunar rocks and other lunar material.
SEC. 2. FULL OWNERSHIP OF ARTIFACTS.

    (a) In General.--A United States astronaut who participated in any 
of the Mercury, Gemini, or Apollo programs through the completion of the 
Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, who received an artifact during his 
participation in any such program, shall have full ownership of and 
clear title to such artifact.
    (b) No Federal Government Claim.--The Federal Government shall have 
no claim or right to ownership, control, or use of any artifact in 
possession of an astronaut as described in subsection (a) or any such 
artifact that was subsequently transferred,

[[Page 126 STAT. 1426]]

sold, or assigned to a third party by an astronaut described in 
subsection (a).

    Approved October 5, 2012.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 4158:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 158 (2012):
            Sept. 19, considered and passed House.
            Sept. 21, considered and passed Senate.

                                  <all>