National Strategy for Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion, 82873-82879 [2020-28272]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 245 (Monday, December 21, 2020)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 82873-82879]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28272]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 245 / Monday, December 21, 2020 / 
Presidential Documents

[[Page 82873]]


                Space Policy Directive-6 of December 16, 2020

                
National Strategy for Space Nuclear Power and 
                Propulsion

                Memorandum for the Vice President[,] the Secretary of 
                State[,] the Secretary of Defense[,] the Secretary of 
                Commerce[,] the Secretary of Transportation[,] the 
                Secretary of Energy[,] the Director of the Office of 
                Management and Budget[,] the Assistant to the President 
                for National Security Affairs[,] the Administrator of 
                the National Aeronautics and Space Administration[,] 
                the Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission[, 
                and] the Director of the Office of Science and 
                Technology Policy

                Section 1. Policy. The ability to use space nuclear 
                power and propulsion (SNPP) systems safely, securely, 
                and sustainably is vital to maintaining and advancing 
                United States dominance and strategic leadership in 
                space. SNPP systems include radioisotope power systems 
                (RPSs) and fission reactors used for power or 
                propulsion in spacecraft, rovers, and other surface 
                elements. SNPP systems can allow operation of such 
                elements in environments in which solar and chemical 
                power are inadequate. They can produce more power at 
                lower mass and volume compared to other energy sources, 
                thereby enabling persistent presence and operations. 
                SNPP systems also can shorten transit times for crewed 
                and robotic spacecraft, thereby reducing radiation 
                exposure in harsh space environments.

                National Security Presidential Memorandum-20 (NSPM-20) 
                of August 20, 2019 (Launch of Spacecraft Containing 
                Space Nuclear Systems), updated the process for 
                launches of spacecraft containing space nuclear 
                systems. It established it as the policy of the United 
                States to ``develop and use space nuclear systems when 
                such systems safely enable or enhance space exploration 
                or operational capabilities.''

                Cooperation with commercial and international partners 
                is critical to achieving America's objectives for space 
                exploration. Presidential Policy Directive 4 of June 
                28, 2010 (National Space Policy), as amended by the 
                Presidential Memorandum of December 11, 2017 
                (Reinvigorating America's Human Space Exploration 
                Program), established it as the policy of the United 
                States to ``[l]ead an innovative and sustainable 
                program of exploration with commercial and 
                international partners to enable human expansion across 
                the solar system and to bring back to Earth new 
                knowledge and opportunities.''

                This memorandum establishes a national strategy to 
                ensure the development and use of SNPP systems when 
                appropriate to enable and achieve the scientific, 
                exploration, national security, and commercial 
                objectives of the United States. In the context of this 
                strategy only, the term ``development'' includes the 
                full development process from design through testing 
                and production, and the term ``use'' includes launch, 
                operation, and disposition. This memorandum outlines 
                high-level policy goals and a supporting roadmap that 
                will advance the ability of the United States to use 
                SNPP systems safely, securely, and sustainably. The 
                execution of this strategy will be subject to relevant 
                budgetary and regulatory processes and to the 
                availability of appropriations.

                Sec. 2. Goals. The United States will pursue goals for 
                SNPP development and use that are both mission-enabling 
                and ambitious in their substance and their timeline. 
                These goals will enable a range of existing and future 
                space missions, with the aim of accelerating 
                achievement of key milestones,

[[Page 82874]]

                including in-space demonstration and use of new SNPP 
                capabilities. This memorandum establishes the following 
                such goals for the Nation:

                    (a) Develop uranium fuel processing capabilities 
                that enable production of fuel that is suitable to 
                lunar and planetary surface and in-space power, nuclear 
                electric propulsion (NEP), and nuclear thermal 
                propulsion (NTP) applications, as needed. These 
                capabilities should support the ability to produce 
                different uranium fuel forms to meet the nearest-term 
                mission needs and, to the extent feasible, should 
                maximize commonality--meaning use of the same or 
                similar materials, processes, designs, or 
                infrastructure--across these fuel forms. To maximize 
                private-sector engagement and cost savings, these 
                capabilities should be developed to enable a range of 
                terrestrial as well as space applications, including 
                future commercial applications;
                    (b) Demonstrate a fission power system on the 
                surface of the Moon that is scalable to a power range 
                of 40 kilowatt-electric (kWe) and higher to support a 
                sustained lunar presence and exploration of Mars. To 
                the extent feasible, this power system should align 
                with mission needs for, and potential future government 
                and commercial applications of, in-space power, NEP, 
                and terrestrial nuclear power;
                    (c) Establish the technical foundations and 
                capabilities--including through identification and 
                resolution of the key technical challenges--that will 
                enable options for NTP to meet future Department of 
                Defense (DoD) and National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration (NASA) mission requirements; and
                    (d) Develop advanced RPS capabilities that provide 
                higher fuel efficiency, higher specific energy, and 
                longer operational lifetime than existing RPS 
                capabilities, thus enabling survivable surface elements 
                to support robotic and human exploration of the Moon 
                and Mars and extending robotic exploration of the solar 
                system.

                Sec. 3. Principles. The United States will adhere to 
                principles of safety, security, and sustainability in 
                its development and use of SNPP systems, in accordance 
                with all applicable Federal laws and consistent with 
                international obligations and commitments.

                    (a) Safety. All executive departments and agencies 
                (agencies) involved in the development and use of SNPP 
                systems shall take appropriate measures to ensure, 
                within their respective roles and responsibilities, the 
                safe development, testing, launch, operation, and 
                disposition of SNPP systems. For United States 
                Government SNPP programs, the sponsoring agency holds 
                primary responsibility for safety. For programs 
                involving multiple agencies, the terms of cooperation 
                shall designate a lead agency with primary 
                responsibility for safety in each stage of development 
                and use.

(i) Ground development. Activities associated with ground development, 
including ground testing, of SNPP systems shall be conducted in accordance 
with applicable Federal, State, and local laws and existing authorities of 
regulatory agencies.

(ii) Launch. NSPM-20 established safety guidelines and safety analysis and 
review processes for Federal Government launches of spacecraft containing 
space nuclear systems, including SNPP systems, and for launches for which 
the Department of Transportation has statutory authority to license as 
commercial space launch activities (commercial launches). These guidelines 
and processes address launch and any subsequent stages during which 
accidents may result in radiological effects on the public or the 
environment--for instance, in an unplanned reentry from Earth orbit or 
during an Earth flyby. Launch activities shall be conducted in accordance 
with these guidelines and processes.

(iii) Operation and disposition. The operation and disposition of SNPP 
systems shall be planned and conducted in a manner that protect human and 
environmental safety and national security assets. Fission reactor SNPP 
systems may be operated on interplanetary missions, in sufficiently high 
orbits, and in low-Earth orbits if they are stored in sufficiently high 
orbits after the operational part of their mission. In this context, a 
sufficiently high orbit is one in which the orbital lifetime of the 
spacecraft

[[Page 82875]]

is long enough for the fission products to decay to a level of 
radioactivity comparable to that of uranium-235 by the time it reenters the 
Earth's atmosphere, and the risks to existing and future space missions and 
of collision with objects in space are minimized. Spacecraft operating 
fission reactors in low-Earth orbits shall incorporate a highly reliable 
operational system to ensure effective and controlled disposition of the 
reactor.

                    (b) Security. All agencies involved in the 
                development and use of SNPP systems shall take 
                appropriate measures to protect nuclear and 
                radiological materials and sensitive information, 
                consistent with sound nuclear nonproliferation 
                principles. For United States Government SNPP programs, 
                the sponsoring agency holds primary responsibility for 
                security. For programs involving multiple agencies, the 
                terms of cooperation shall designate a lead agency with 
                primary responsibility for security in each stage of 
                development and use. The use of highly enriched uranium 
                (HEU) in SNPP systems should be limited to applications 
                for which the mission would not be viable with other 
                nuclear fuels or non-nuclear power sources. Before 
                selecting HEU or, for fission reactor systems, any 
                nuclear fuel other than low-enriched uranium (LEU), for 
                any given SNPP design or mission, the sponsoring agency 
                shall conduct a thorough technical review to assess the 
                viability of alternative nuclear fuels. The sponsoring 
                agency shall provide to the respective staffs of the 
                National Security Council, the National Space Council, 
                the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the 
                Office of Management and Budget a briefing that 
                provides justification for why the use of HEU or other 
                non-LEU fuel is required, and any steps the agency has 
                taken to address nuclear safety, security, and 
                proliferation-related risks. The Director of the Office 
                of Science and Technology Policy shall ensure, through 
                the National Science and Technology Council, that other 
                relevant agencies are invited to participate in these 
                briefings.
                    (c) Sustainability. All agencies involved in the 
                development and use of SNPP systems shall take 
                appropriate measures to conduct these activities in a 
                manner that is suitable for the long-term sustainment 
                of United States space capabilities and leadership in 
                SNPP.

(i) Coordination and Collaboration. To maximize efficiency and return on 
taxpayer investment, the heads of relevant agencies shall seek and pursue 
opportunities to coordinate among existing and future SNPP development and 
use programs. Connecting current efforts with likely future applications 
will help ensure that such programs can contribute to long-term United 
States SNPP capabilities and leadership. Agencies also shall seek 
opportunities to partner with the private sector, including academic 
institutions, in order to facilitate contributions to United States SNPP 
capabilities and leadership. To help identify opportunities for 
collaboration, the heads of relevant agencies should conduct regular 
technical exchanges among SNPP programs, to the extent that such exchanges 
are consistent with the principle of security and comply with applicable 
Federal, State, and local laws. Agencies shall coordinate with the 
Department of State when seeking opportunities for international 
partnerships.

(ii) Commonality. The heads of relevant agencies shall seek to identify and 
use opportunities for commonality among SNPP systems, and between SNPP and 
terrestrial nuclear systems, whenever doing so could advance program and 
policy objectives without unduly inhibiting innovation or market 
development, or hampering system suitability to specific mission 
applications. For example, opportunities for commonality may exist in goals 
(e.g., demonstration timeline), reactor design, nuclear fuels (e.g., fuel 
type and form, and enrichment level), supplementary systems (e.g., power 
conversion, moderator, reflector, shielding, and system vessel), methods 
(e.g., additive manufacturing of fuel or reactor elements), and 
infrastructure (e.g., fuel supply, testing facilities, launch facilities, 
and workforce).

(iii) Cost-effectiveness. The heads of relevant agencies should pursue SNPP 
development and use solutions that are cost-effective while also consistent 
with the principles of safety and security. For any program or system,

[[Page 82876]]

the heads of such agencies should seek to identify the combination of in-
space and ground-based testing and certification that will best qualify the 
system for a given mission while ensuring public safety.

                Sec. 4. Roles and Responsibilities. (a) The Vice 
                President, on behalf of the President and acting 
                through the National Space Council, shall coordinate 
                United States policy related to use of SNPP systems.

                    (b) The Secretary of State shall, under the 
                direction of the President, coordinate United States 
                activities related to international obligations and 
                commitments and international cooperation involving 
                SNPP.
                    (c) The Secretary of Defense shall conduct and 
                support activities associated with development and use 
                of SNPP systems to enable and achieve United States 
                national security objectives. When appropriate, the 
                Secretary of Defense shall facilitate private-sector 
                engagement in DoD SNPP activities.
                    (d) The Secretary of Commerce shall promote 
                responsible United States commercial SNPP investment, 
                innovation, and use, and shall, when consistent with 
                the authorities of the Secretary, ensure the 
                publication of clear, flexible, performance-based rules 
                that are applicable to use of SNPP and are easily 
                navigated. Under the direction of the Secretary of 
                Commerce, the Department of Commerce (DOC) shall 
                ascertain and communicate the views of private-sector 
                partners and potential private-sector partners to 
                relevant agency partners in order to facilitate public-
                private collaboration in SNPP development and use.
                    (e) The Secretary of Transportation's statutory 
                authority includes licensing commercial launches and 
                reentries, including vehicles containing SNPP systems. 
                Within this capacity, the Secretary of Transportation 
                shall, when appropriate, facilitate private-sector 
                engagement in the launch or reentry aspect of SNPP 
                development and use activities, in support of United 
                States science, exploration, national security, and 
                commercial objectives. To help ensure the launch safety 
                of an SNPP payload, and consistent with 51 U.S.C. 
                50904, a payload review may be conducted as part of a 
                license application review or may be requested by a 
                payload owner or operator in advance of or apart from a 
                license application.
                    (f) The Secretary of Energy shall, in coordination 
                with sponsoring agencies and other agencies, as 
                appropriate, support development and use of SNPP 
                systems to enable and achieve United States scientific, 
                exploration, and national security objectives. When 
                appropriate, the Secretary of Energy shall work with 
                sponsoring agencies and DOC to facilitate United States 
                private-sector engagement in Department of Energy (DOE) 
                SNPP activities. Under the direction of the Secretary 
                of Energy and consistent with the authorities granted 
                to DOE, including authorities under the Atomic Energy 
                Act of 1954 (AEA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2011, et seq., 
                DOE may authorize ground-based SNPP development 
                activities, including DOE activities conducted in 
                coordination with sponsoring agencies and private-
                sector entities. As directed in NSPM-20, the Secretary 
                of Energy shall maintain, on a full-cost recovery 
                basis, the capability and infrastructure to develop, 
                furnish, and conduct safety analyses for space nuclear 
                systems for use in United States Government space 
                systems.
                    (g) The Administrator of NASA shall conduct and 
                support activities associated with development and use 
                of SNPP systems to enable and achieve United States 
                space science and exploration objectives. The 
                Administrator of NASA shall establish the performance 
                requirements for SNPP capabilities necessary to achieve 
                those objectives. When appropriate, the Administrator 
                of NASA shall facilitate private-sector engagement in 
                NASA SNPP activities, and shall coordinate with the 
                Secretary of Commerce and, as appropriate, the 
                Secretary of State and the Secretary of Energy, to help 
                facilitate private-sector SNPP activities.
                    (h) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has 
                statutory authority under the AEA for licensing and 
                regulatory safety and security oversight of commercial 
                nuclear activities taking place within the United 
                States. The

[[Page 82877]]

                NRC should, as appropriate and particularly in 
                circumstances within NRC authority where DOE regulatory 
                authorities cannot be applied, enable private-sector 
                engagement in SNPP development and use activities in 
                support of United States science, exploration, national 
                security, and commercial objectives.
                    (i) The Director of the Office and Science and 
                Technology Policy shall coordinate United States policy 
                related to research and development of SNPP systems.

                Sec. 5. Roadmap. The United States will pursue a 
                coordinated roadmap for federally-supported SNPP 
                activities to achieve the goals and uphold the 
                principles established in this memorandum. This roadmap 
                comprises the following elements, which the relevant 
                agencies should pursue consistent with the following 
                objective timeline, subject to relevant budgetary and 
                regulatory processes and to the availability of 
                appropriations:

                    (a) By the mid-2020s, develop uranium fuel 
                processing capabilities that enable production of fuel 
                that is suitable for lunar and planetary surface and 
                in-space power, NEP, and NTP applications, as needed.

(i) Identify relevant mission needs. DoD and NASA should provide to DOE any 
mission needs (e.g., power density, environment, and timelines) relevant to 
the identification of fuels suitable for planetary surface and in-space 
power, NEP, and NTP applications.

(ii) Identify candidate fuel or fuels. DoD and NASA, in cooperation with 
DOE and private-sector partners, as appropriate, should identify candidate 
fuel or fuels to meet the identified mission requirements. This review and 
assessment should account for current and expected United States 
capabilities to produce and qualify for use candidate fuels, and for 
potential commonality of fuels or fuel variants across multiple planetary 
surface and in-space power, in-space propulsion, and terrestrial 
applications.

(iii) Qualify at least one candidate fuel. DoD and NASA, in cooperation 
with DOE and private-sector partners, as appropriate, should qualify a fuel 
or fuels for demonstrations of a planetary surface power reactor and an in-
space propulsion system. While seeking opportunities to use private-sector-
partner capabilities, agencies should ensure that the Federal Government 
retains an ability for screening and qualification of candidate fuels.

(iv) Supply fuel for demonstrations. DOE, in cooperation with NASA and DoD, 
and with private-sector partners, as appropriate, should identify feedstock 
and uranium that can be made available for planetary surface power and in-
space propulsion demonstrations. DOE shall ensure that any provision of 
nuclear material for SNPP will not disrupt enriched uranium supplies for 
the United States nuclear weapons program and the naval propulsion program, 
and that SNPP needs are included among broader considerations of nuclear 
fuel supply provisioning and management.

                    (b) By the mid- to late-2020s, demonstrate a 
                fission power system on the surface of the Moon that is 
                scalable to a power range of 40 kWe and higher to 
                support sustained lunar presence and exploration of 
                Mars.

(i) Initiate a surface power project. NASA should initiate a fission 
surface power project for lunar surface demonstration by 2027, with 
scalability to Mars exploration. NASA should consult with DoD and other 
agencies, and with the private sector, as appropriate, when developing 
project requirements.

(ii) Conduct technology and requirements assessment. NASA, in coordination 
with DoD and other agencies, and with private-sector partners, as 
appropriate, should evaluate technology options for a surface power system 
including reactor designs, power conversion, shielding, and thermal 
management. NASA should work with other agencies, and private-sector 
partners, as appropriate, to evaluate opportunities for commonality among 
other SNPP needs, including in-space power and terrestrial power needs,

[[Page 82878]]

possible NEP technology needs, and reactor demonstrations planned by NASA, 
other agencies, or the private sector.

(iii) Engage the private sector. DOE and NASA should determine a mechanism 
or mechanisms for engaging with the private sector to meet NASA's SNPP 
surface power needs in an effective manner consistent with the guiding 
principles set forth in this memorandum. In evaluating mechanisms, DOE and 
NASA should consider the possibility of NASA issuing a request for proposal 
for the development and construction of the surface power reactor system or 
demonstration.

(iv) System development. NASA should work with DOE, and with other agencies 
and private-sector partners, as appropriate, to develop the lunar surface 
power demonstration project.

(v) Conduct demonstration mission. NASA, in coordination with other 
agencies and with private-sector partners, as appropriate, should launch 
and conduct the lunar surface power demonstration project.

                    (c) By the late-2020s, establish the technical 
                foundations and capabilities--including through 
                identification and resolution of the key technical 
                challenges--that will enable NTP options to meet future 
                DoD and NASA mission needs.

(i) Conduct requirements assessment. DoD and NASA, in cooperation with DOE, 
and with other agencies and private-sector partners, as appropriate, should 
assess the ability of NTP capabilities to enable and advance existing and 
potential future DoD and NASA mission requirements.

(ii) Conduct technology assessment. DoD and NASA, in cooperation with DOE, 
and with other agencies and private-sector partners, as appropriate, should 
evaluate technology options and associated key technical challenges for an 
NTP system, including reactor designs, power conversion, and thermal 
management. DoD and NASA should work with their partners to evaluate and 
use opportunities for commonality with other SNPP needs, terrestrial power 
needs, and reactor demonstration projects planned by agencies and the 
private sector.

(iii) Technology development. DoD, in coordination with DOE and other 
agencies, and with private-sector partners, as appropriate, should develop 
reactor and propulsion system technologies that will resolve the key 
technical challenges in areas such as reactor design and production, 
propulsion system and spacecraft design, and SNPP system integration.

                    (d) By 2030, develop advanced RPS capabilities that 
                provide higher fuel efficiency, higher specific energy, 
                and longer operational lifetime than existing RPS 
                capabilities, thus enabling survivable surface elements 
                to support robotic and human exploration of the Moon 
                and Mars and extending robotic exploration of the solar 
                system.

(i) Maintain RPS capability. Mission sponsoring agencies should assess 
their needs for radioisotope heat source material to meet emerging mission 
requirements, and should work with DOE to jointly identify the means to 
produce or acquire the necessary material on a timeline that meets mission 
requirements.

(ii) Engage the private sector. NASA, in coordination with DOE and DOC, 
should conduct an assessment of opportunities for engaging the private 
sector to meet RPS needs in an effective manner consistent with the guiding 
principles established in this memorandum.

(iii) Conduct technology and requirements assessment. NASA, in coordination 
with DOE and DoD, and with other agencies and private-sector partners, as 
appropriate, should assess requirements for next-generation RPS systems and 
evaluate technology options for meeting those requirements.

(iv) System development. DOE, in coordination with NASA and DoD, and with 
other agencies and private-sector partners, as appropriate, should develop 
one or more next-generation RPS system or systems to meet

[[Page 82879]]

the goals of higher fuel efficiency, higher specific energy, and longer 
operational lifetime for the required range of power.

                Sec. 6. Implementation. The Vice President, through the 
                National Space Council, shall coordinate implementation 
                of this memorandum.

                Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this 
                memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise 
                affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent 
                with applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does 
                not, create any right or benefit, substantive or 
                procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any 
                party against the United States, its departments, 
                agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or 
                agents, or any other person.
                    (d) The Secretary of Energy is authorized and 
                directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal 
                Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, December 16, 2020

[FR Doc. 2020-28272
Filed 12-18-20; 8:45 am]
Billing code 6450-01-P