§20147 Recovery and Disposition Authority

Summary

Allows the Administrator to take custody of a crewmember’s remains and order autopsies or other medical or scientific tests if an accident or mishap kills a crewmember on an Administration human space flight vehicle. Each crewmember must give the Administrator their wishes about how the remains are handled, and the Administrator must try to follow those wishes. The Administrator may not interfere with any federal investigation of the accident. Administration human space flight vehicle — a space vehicle meant to carry people, built to operate in outer space, and either owned by the Administration or owned by a contractor/cooperator and used on an Administration or joint mission. Crewmember — an astronaut or other person assigned to such a vehicle.