EOS Data Policy: Questions Remain About U.S. Commercial Access
IMTEC-92-44
Published: Jun 25, 1992. Publicly Released: Jun 29, 1992.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) planned Earth Observing System (EOS), focusing on NASA policies and international principles governing U.S. commercial access to information collected by EOS satellites.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | The Administrator, NASA, should direct EOS program officials to obtain industry input to verify which of the instruments, as approved for flight on the EOS platforms, have potential commercial value and how best to make data available from these instruments. Once the proposed legislative changes are resolved, the Administrator should require the program to fully develop its detailed strategy for commercial access. |
Closed – Implemented
NASA agreed to involve the private sector in discussions about the whole spectrum of access to EOS data, including a strategy for access. According to program officials, private-sector representatives have been involved in recent EOS planning efforts.
|
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | Should current Landsat provisions regarding commercial access remain unchanged, the Administrator, NASA, should require the agency to develop a back-up strategy, including a review of legal alternatives, since commercial access under the present provisions is uncertain. |
Closed – Not Implemented
The Landsat Act was recently amended by P.L. 102-555, the "Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992."
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