51 U.S.C.
United States Code, 2022 Edition
Title 51 - NATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL SPACE PROGRAMS
Subtitle IV - Aeronautics and Space Research and Education
CHAPTER 409 - MISCELLANEOUS
Front Matter
From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov

#### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

#### Cybersecurity in STEM Programs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Pub. L. 116–283, div. H, title XCIV, §9406, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4812, provided that: "In carrying out any STEM education program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred to in this section as 'NASA'), including a program of the Office of STEM Engagement, the Administrator of NASA shall, to the maximum extent practicable, encourage the inclusion of cybersecurity education opportunities in such program."

#### NASA Internship and Fellowship Opportunities

Pub. L. 115–303, §3, Dec. 11, 2018, 132 Stat. 4399, provided that: "Not later than October 1, 2018, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (in this section referred to as 'NASA') shall institute a process to encourage the recruitment of qualified candidates who are women or individuals who are underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and computer science for internships and fellowships at NASA with relevance to the aerospace sector and related fields."

#### Education and Outreach

Pub. L. 115–10, title VIII, §824, Mar. 21, 2017, 131 Stat. 64, provided that:

"(a) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that—

"(1) United States competitiveness in the 21st century requires engaging the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (referred to in this section as 'STEM') talent in all States;

"(2) the [National Aeronautics and Space] Administration is uniquely positioned to educate and inspire students and the broader public on STEM subjects and careers;

"(3) the Administration's Education and Communication Offices, Mission Directorates, and Centers have been effective in delivering educational content because of the strong engagement of Administration scientists and engineers in the Administration's education and outreach activities;

"(4) the Administration's education and outreach programs, including the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and the Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, reflect the Administration's successful commitment to growing and diversifying the national science and engineering workforce; and

"(5) in order to grow and diversify the Nation's engineering workforce, it is vital for the Administration to bolster programs, such as High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) program, that conduct outreach activities to underserved rural communities, vocational schools, and tribal colleges and universities and encourage new participation in the STEM workforce.

"(b) Continuation of Education and Outreach Activities and Programs.—

"(1) In general.—The Administrator [of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration] shall continue engagement with the public and education opportunities for students via all the Administration's mission directorates to the maximum extent practicable.

"(2) Report.—Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Mar. 21, 2017], the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress [Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives] a report on the Administration's near-term outreach plans for advancing space law education."

#### Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women

Pub. L. 115–7, Feb. 28, 2017, 131 Stat. 13, provided that:

#### "SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

"This Act may be cited as the 'Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act'.

#### "SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

"The Congress finds that—

"(1) NASA GIRLS and NASA BOYS are virtual mentoring programs using commercially available video chat programs to pair National Aeronautics and Space Administration mentors with young students anywhere in the country. NASA GIRLS and NASA BOYS give young students the opportunity to interact and learn from real engineers, scientists, and technologists.

"(2) The Aspire to Inspire (A2I) program engages young girls to present science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career opportunities through the real lives and jobs of early career women at NASA.

"(3) The Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Research (SISTER) program at the Goddard Space Flight Center is designed to increase awareness of, and provide an opportunity for, female middle school students to be exposed to and explore nontraditional career fields with Goddard Space Flight Center women engineers, mathematicians, scientists, technicians, and researchers.

#### "SEC. 3. SUPPORTING WOMEN'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE FIELDS OF AEROSPACE AND SPACE EXPLORATION.

"The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall encourage women and girls to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, pursue careers in aerospace, and further advance the Nation's space science and exploration efforts through support of the following initiatives:

"(1) NASA GIRLS and NASA BOYS.

"(2) Aspire to Inspire.

"(3) Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Research.

#### "SEC. 4. PLAN.

"Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Feb. 28, 2017], the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a plan for how NASA can best facilitate and support both current and retired astronauts, scientists, engineers, and innovators, including early career female astronauts, scientists, engineers, and innovators, to engage with K–12 female STEM students and inspire the next generation of women to consider participating in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and to pursue careers in aerospace. This plan shall—

"(1) report on existing activities with current and retired NASA astronauts, scientists, engineers, and innovators;

"(2) identify how NASA could best leverage existing authorities to facilitate and support current and retired astronaut, scientist, engineer, and innovator participation in NASA outreach efforts;

"(3) propose and describe a program specific to retired astronauts, scientists, engineers, and innovators; and

"(4) identify any additional authorities necessary to institute such a program."

#### NASA's Contribution to Education

Pub. L. 111–358, title II, §202, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3993, provided that:

"(a) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that NASA [National Aeronautics and Space Administration] is uniquely positioned to interest students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, not only by the example it sets, but through its education programs.

"(b) Educational Program Goals.—NASA shall develop and maintain educational programs—

"(1) to carry out and support research based programs and activities designed to increase student interest and participation in STEM, including students from minority and underrepresented groups;

"(2) to improve public literacy in STEM;

"(3) that employ proven strategies and methods for improving student learning and teaching in STEM;

"(4) to provide curriculum support materials and other resources that—

"(A) are designed to be integrated with comprehensive STEM education;

"(B) are aligned with national science education standards;

"(C) promote the adoption and implementation of high-quality education practices that build toward college and career-readiness; and

"(5) to create and support opportunities for enhanced and ongoing professional development for teachers using best practices that improve the STEM content and knowledge of the teachers, including through programs linking STEM teachers with STEM educators at the higher education level."

[For definition of "STEM" as used in section 202 of Pub. L. 111–358, set out above, see section 2 of Pub. L. 111–358, set out as a note under section 6621 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.]

#### Reports

Pub. L. 109–155, title I, §102, Dec. 30, 2005, 119 Stat. 2905, provided that:

"(a) National Awareness Campaign.—

"(1) In general.—The Administrator [of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration] shall implement, beginning not later than May 1, 2006, a national awareness campaign through various media, including print, radio, television, and the Internet, to articulate missions, publicize recent accomplishments, and facilitate efforts to encourage young Americans to enter the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering to help maintain United States leadership in those fields.

"(2) Reports.—(A) Not later than April 1, 2006, the Administrator shall transmit a plan to the Committee on Science [now Committee on Science, Space, and Technology] of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate describing the activities that will be undertaken as part of the national awareness campaign required by paragraph (1) and the expected cost of those activities. NASA [National Aeronautics and Space Administration] may undertake activities as part of the national awareness campaign prior to the transmittal of the plan required by this subparagraph, but the plan shall include a description of any activities undertaken prior to the transmittal and the estimated cost of those activities.

"(B) Not later than three years after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 30, 2005], the Administrator shall transmit to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate an assessment of the impact of the national awareness campaign.

"(b) Budget Information.—Not later than April 30, 2006, the Administrator shall transmit to the Committee on Science [now Committee on Science, Space, and Technology] of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report describing—

"(1) the expected cost of the Crew Exploration Vehicle through fiscal year 2020, based on the public specifications for that development contract; and

"(2) the expected budgets for each fiscal year through 2020 for human spaceflight, aeronautics, space science, and earth science—

"(A) first assuming inflationary growth for the budget of NASA as a whole and including costs for the Crew Exploration Vehicle as projected under paragraph (1); and

"(B) then assuming inflationary growth for the budget of NASA as a whole and including at least two cost estimates for the Crew Exploration Vehicle that are higher than those projected under paragraph (1), based on NASA's past experience with cost increases for similar programs, along with a description of the reasons for selecting the cost estimates used for the calculations under this subparagraph and the confidence level for each of the cost estimates used in this section.

"(c) Space Communications Plan.—

"(1) Plan.—The Administrator shall develop a plan, in consultation with relevant Federal agencies, for updating NASA's space communications architecture for both low-Earth orbital operations and deep space exploration so that it is capable of meeting NASA's needs over the next 20 years. The plan shall include life-cycle cost estimates, milestones, estimated performance capabilities, and 5-year funding profiles. The plan shall also include an estimate of the amounts of any reimbursements NASA is likely to receive from other Federal agencies during the expected life of the upgrades described in the plan. At a minimum, the plan shall include a description of the following:

"(A) Projected Deep Space Network requirements for the next 20 years, including those in support of human space exploration missions.

"(B) Upgrades needed to support Deep Space Network requirements.

"(C) Cost estimates for the maintenance of existing Deep Space Network capabilities.

"(D) Cost estimates and schedules for the upgrades described in subparagraph (B).

"(E) Projected Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System requirements for the next 20 years, including those in support of other relevant Federal agencies.

"(F) Cost and schedule estimates to maintain and upgrade the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System to meet projected requirements.

"(2) Consultations.—The Administrator shall consult with other relevant Federal agencies in developing the plan under this subsection.

"(3) Schedule.—The Administrator shall transmit the plan under this subsection to the Committee on Science [now Committee on Science, Space, and Technology] of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than February 17, 2007.

"(d) Joint Dark Energy Mission.—The Administrator and the Director of the Department of Energy Office of Science shall jointly transmit to the Committee on Science [now Committee on Science, Space, and Technology] of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, not later than July 15, 2006, a report on plans for a Joint Dark Energy Mission. The report shall include the amount of funds each agency intends to expend on the Joint Dark Energy Mission for each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2011, and any specific milestones for the development and launch of the Mission.

"(e) Office of Science and Technology Policy.—

"(1) Study.—As part of ongoing efforts to coordinate research and development across the Federal agencies, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall conduct a study to determine—

"(A) if any research and development programs of NASA are unnecessarily duplicating aspects of programs of other Federal agencies; and

"(B) if any research and development programs of NASA are neglecting any topics of national interest that are related to the mission of NASA.

"(2) Report.—Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 30, 2005], the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall transmit to the Committee on Science [now Committee on Science, Space, and Technology] of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that—

"(A) describes the results of the study under paragraph (1);

"(B) lists the research and development programs of Federal agencies other than NASA that were reviewed as part of the study, which shall include any program supporting research and development in an area related to the programs of NASA, and the most recent budget figures for those programs of other agencies;

"(C) recommends any changes to the research and development programs of NASA that should be made in response to the findings of the study required by paragraph (1); and

"(D) describes mechanisms the Office of Science and Technology Policy will use to ensure adequate coordination between NASA and Federal agencies that operate related programs.

"(3) Contract.—The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy may contract with a nongovernmental entity to conduct the study required by paragraph (1)."

#### Review of MUST Program

Pub. L. 109–155, title VI, §617, Dec. 30, 2005, 119 Stat. 2934, directed the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to transmit a report to Congress on the legal status of the Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology program not later than 60 days after Dec. 30, 2005, and, if in compliance with law, implement the program as planned in the July 5, 2005, NASA Research Announcement.

#### Denial of Financial Assistance to Campus Disrupters

Pub. L. 92–304, §6, May 19, 1972, 86 Stat. 161, provided generally that any institution of higher education deny for a two-year period payment under programs authorized by the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (see 51 U.S.C. 20101 et seq.) to any individual attending or employed by such institution who has been convicted of any crime committed after May 19, 1972, which involved the use of force, disruption or seizure of property to prevent officers or students from engaging in their duties or pursuing their studies. Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation acts:

Pub. L. 92–68, §6, Aug. 6, 1971, 85 Stat. 177.

Pub. L. 91–303, §6, July 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 372.

Pub. L. 91–119, §7, Nov. 18, 1969, 83 Stat. 201.

1 Section catchline amended by Pub. L. 117–167 without corresponding amendment of chapter analysis.