THE WHITE HOUSE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP92B00181R001901710024-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 13, 2011
• Sequence Number: 24
• Publication Date: June 20, 1978
• Content Type: MISC

? Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/03/20: CIA-RDP92B00181 R001901710024-6
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June . 1978
Office of*the White House Press Secretary
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THE WHITE HOUSE
The President' directed under a Presidential. Review Memorandum
that the NSC Policy Review Committee (PRC) thoroughly review
existing policy and formulate overall principles which
should guide our space activities. The major concerns that
prompted this review arose from growing interaction among
our various space activities.
This review examined and the resultant Presidential Direc-
tive establishes:
- A government policy oversight system to review and
revise space policy as needed;
- Ground rules for the balance and interaction among
our space programs to insure achievement of the interrelated
national security, economic, political, and arms limitation
goals of the U.S.; and
- Modifications to existing policies, the appropriate
extent of the overlapping technology, and product dissemi-
nation by the sectors.
This Presidential Directive establishes an NSC Policy Review
Committee to provide a forum to all Federal agencies for
their policy views, to advise on proposed changes to national
space policy, to resolve issues referred to the Committee,
and to provide for rapid referral of issues to the President
for decision as necessary. This Committee will be chaired
by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy, Frank Press. Recognizing that the civilian space
program is at the threshold of change, the President has
asked the PRC to assess the needs and aspirations of the
nation's civil space program. The United States has built a
broad national base in space and aeronautics. At issue is
how best to capitalize on prior investments and set the
needed direction and purpose. for continued vitality in the
future.
Under the Presidential Review Memorandum the emphasis was to
resolve potential conflicts among the various space program
sectors and to recommend coherent space principles and
national space policy. In focusing upon these issues, the
Policy Review Committee concluded that our current'direction
set forth in the Space Act of 1958 is well founded and that
the preponderence of existing problems was related to inter-
actions and resultant stresses among the various space pro-
grams. For this reason, the classified portion of the
recently signed Presidential Directive concentrates on over-
lap questions. -It does not deal in detail with the long-
term objectives of our defense, commercial, and civil programs.
Determining our civil space policy, outlined above, will be
the next step.
As a result of this in-depth review, the President's Direc-
tive establishes national policies to guide the conduct of
United States activities in and related to space programs.
The objectives are (1) to advance the interests of the
United States through the exploration and use of space and
(2) to cooperate with other nations in maintaining the free-
dom of space for all activities which enhance-the security
and welfare of mankind. The space principles set forth in
this'Directive are:
F
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The United States will pursue space activities to
increase scientific knowledge, develop useful co
government applications of space technolo mmenta and
United States leadership in space~technology. and maintai n
The United States is committed to the principles of
the exploration and use of outer space
by peaceful purposes and for the benefit ofalllmankind. for
The United States is committed to the exploration
and use of outer space in support of its national well-
being.
The United States rejects any claims to soverei n
over outer space or over celestial bodies, or an g ty
thereof, and rejects any limitations on the fund mentalon
right to acquire data from space.
The United States holds that the space systems of
any nation are national property
passage through and operations inaspace vwithoutiinterferenc
Purposeful interference with space systems shall be viewed
as an infringement upon sovereign rights. e.
The United States will pursue activities in space in
support of its right of self-defense and thereby strengthen
national security, the deterrence of attack, and arms con-
trol agreements.
The United States will conduct international coop-
erative space activities that are beneficial to the United
States scientifically, Politically, economically, and/or
militarily.
The United States will develop and operate on a
global basis active and passive remote sensing operations
support of national objectives. in
The United States will maintain current responsibi-
lity and management relationships amon space
programs, and, as such, close coordinationeandrinformation
exchange will be maintained among the space sectors to avoid
unnecessary duplication and to allow maximum cross-utilization
of all capabilities.
Our civil space programs will be conducted to increase
the
body of scientific knowledge about the earth and the universe,,
to develop and operate civil application's of space techno-
logy; to maintain United States leadership applications, and technology; and to furthernUnited Statese,
domestic and foreign Policy objectives within the following
guidelines:
- The United States will encourage domestic commercial
exploitation of space capabilities and systems for economic
benefit and to promote the technological United States; however, all United Statespearth-orio'ented
remote sensing, satellites will require United States govern-
ment authorization and supervision or regulation.
- Advances in earth imaging from space will be
under controls and when such needs are m permitted
in relation to civil benefits, national security, and assesign
Polic . Controls, as appropriate ms and'- foti
on other forms of remote
earth sensing will be established.
- Data and results from the civil space programs will
be provided the widest practical dissemination to improve
the condition of human beings on earth and to provide im-
proved space services for the United States and other nations
of the world.
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The United States will develop, manage, and operate'
a fully operational Space Transportation System (STS) through
NASA, in cooperation with the Department of Defense. The
STS will service all authorized space users--domestic and
foreign, commercial and governmental--and will provide
launch priority and necessary security to national security
missions while recognizing the essentially open character of
the civil space program.
Our national security related space programs will conduct
those activities in space which are necessary to our support
of such functions as command and control, communications,
navigation, environmental monitoring, warning and surveil-
lance, and space defense as well as to support the formu-
lation and execution of national policies; and to support
the planning for and conduct of military operations. These
programs will be conducted within the following guidelines:
- Security, including dissemination of data, shall be
conducted in accordance with Executive orders and applicable
directives for protection of national security information.
Space-related products and technology shall be afforded
lower or no classification where possible to permit wider
use of our total national space capability.
- The Secretary of Defense will establish a program
for identifying and integrating, as appropriate, civil and
commercial resources into military operations during na-
tional emergencies declared by the President.
- Survivability of space systems will be pursued com-
mensurate with the planned need in crisis and war and the
availability of other assets to perform the mission. Iden-
tified deficiencies will be eliminated and an aggressive,
long-term program will be applied to provide more assured
survivability through evolutionary changes to space systems.
- The United States finds itself under increasing
pressure to field an anti-satellite capability of its own in
response ~to Soviet activities in this area. By exercising
mutual restraint, the United States and the Soviet Union
have an opportunity at this early juncture to stop an
unhealthy arms competition in space before the competition
develops a momentum of its own. The two countries have
commenced bilateral discussions on limiting certain activi-
ties directed against space objects, which we anticipate
will be consistent with the overall U.S. goal of maintaining
any nation's right of passage through and operations in
space without interference.
- while the United States seeks verifiable, compre-
hensive limits on anti-satellite capabilities and use, in
the absence of such an agreement, the United States will
vigorously pursue development of its own capabilities. The
U.S. space defense program shall include an integrated
attack warning, notification, verification, and contingency
reaction capability which can effectively detect and react
to threats to U.S. space systems.
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