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Title 51 — National and Commercial Space ProgramsRelease 119-73not60

§60133 Technology Demonstration Program

Title 51 › Subtitle Subtitle VI— Earth Observations › Chapter 601— LAND REMOTE SENSING POLICY › Subchapter IV— RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION › § 60133

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President must set up a technology demonstration program through U.S. agencies as part of the national land remote sensing plan. Within 5 years after October 28, 1992, it must try to launch advanced system parts, show better sensor capabilities, and demonstrate a system design that could cost less to buy and operate than the Landsat system projected to run through 2000 and that could attract private investment. The program can use intelligence-gathering technologies if they can be declassified without harming U.S. national security, should serve civilian, national security, commercial, and foreign policy needs when possible, may include private funding, and must be coordinated by Landsat Program Management.

Full Legal Text

Title 51, §60133

National and Commercial Space Programs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)As a fundamental component of a national land remote sensing strategy, the President shall establish, through appropriate United States Government agencies, a technology demonstration program. The goals of the program shall be to—
(1)seek to launch advanced land remote sensing system components within 5 years after October 28, 1992;
(2)demonstrate within such 5-year period advanced sensor capabilities suitable for use in the anticipated land remote sensing program; and
(3)demonstrate within such 5-year period an advanced land remote sensing system design that could be less expensive to procure and operate than the Landsat system projected to be in operation through the year 2000, and that therefore holds greater potential for private sector investment and control.
(b)In executing the technology demonstration program, the President shall seek to apply technologies associated with United States National Technical Means of intelligence gathering, to the extent that such technologies are appropriate for the technology demonstration and can be declassified for such purposes without causing adverse harm to United States national security interests.
(c)To the greatest extent practicable, the technology demonstration program established under subsection (a) shall be designed to be responsive to the broad civilian, national security, commercial, and foreign policy needs of the United States.
(d)The technology demonstration program under this section may be carried out in part with private sector funding.
(e)The Landsat Program Management shall have a coordinating role in the technology demonstration program carried out under this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 6013315 U.S.C. 5633(a)–(e).Pub. L. 102–555, title III, § 303(a)–(e), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4174. In subsection (a)(1), the date “October 28, 1992” is substituted for “the date of the enactment of this Act” to reflect the date of enactment of the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–555, 106 Stat. 4163). At the end of paragraph (1), a semicolon is substituted for the period to correct an error in the law.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

51 U.S.C. § 60133

Title 51 — National and Commercial Space Programs

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60