Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§18352 Maximum Utilization of the International Space Station

Title 42 › Chapter 159— SPACE EXPLORATION, TECHNOLOGY, AND SCIENCE › Subchapter IV— CONTINUATION, SUPPORT, AND EVOLUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION › § 18352

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

NASA must make the finished International Space Station as useful as possible for research, technology development, space exploration, and working with other countries. To do that, NASA must run the U.S. part as a National Laboratory under section 18354 so it is used well; keep using the ISS to support international missions and expand human presence beyond near‑Earth space and U.S. security and economic goals; and manage the station to allow cooperation with other U.S. research programs and commercial partners.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §18352

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)With assembly of the ISS complete, NASA shall take steps to maximize the productivity and use of the ISS with respect to scientific and technological research and development, advancement of space exploration, and international collaboration.

(b)In carrying out subsection (a), NASA shall, at a minimum, undertake the following:

(1)The United States segment of the ISS, which has been designated as a National Laboratory, shall be developed, managed and utilized in a manner that enables the effective and innovative use of such facility, as provided in section 18354 of this title.

(2)The ISS shall continue to be utilized as a key component of international efforts to build missions and capabilities that further the development of a human presence beyond near-Earth space and advance United States security and economic goals. The Administrator shall actively seek ways to encourage and enable the use of ISS capabilities to support these efforts.

(3)The operations, management, and utilization of the ISS shall be conducted in a manner that provides opportunities for collaboration with other research programs and objectives of the United States Government in cooperation with commercial suppliers, users, and developers.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 18352

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60