Go to a specific date

Explore

The Public Inspection page
on FederalRegister.gov
offers a preview of documents scheduled to appear in the next day's
Federal Register issue. The Public Inspection page may also
include documents scheduled for later issues, at the request
of the issuing agency.

Document Details

Enhanced Content - Table of Contents

This tables of contents is a navigational tool, processed from the
headings within the legal text of Federal Register documents.
This repetition of headings to form internal navigation links
has no substantive legal effect.

Enhanced Content - Sharing

Enhanced Content - Document Print View

Enhanced Content - Document Print View

Enhanced Content - Document Tools

These tools are designed to help you understand the official document
better and aid in comparing the online edition to the print edition.

These markup elements allow the user to see how the document follows the
Document Drafting Handbook
that agencies use to create their documents. These can be useful
for better understanding how a document is structured but
are not part of the published document itself.

Enhanced Content - Developer Tools

Official Content

Official Content

Published Document

This document has been published in the Federal Register. Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format.

Start Preamble

SUMMARY:

In furtherance of its implementation of the new U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Policy authorized by the President on April 25, 2003, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking public comment with regard to NOAA's licensing of commercial remote sensing satellite systems.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The new U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Policy establishes guidance and implementation actions for the policies Start Printed Page 41783contained therein with respect to commercial remote sensing space capabilities. A fact sheet regarding the new policy directive may be found on the web site of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, at http://www.ostp.gov/​html/​new.html. The fundamental goal of the policy is “to advance and protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests by maintaining the nation's leadership in remote sensing space activities, and by sustaining and enhancing the U.S. remote sensing industry.”

As part of the implementation of the new policy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking public comment on all aspects of its licensing program for commercial remote sensing satellite systems. NOAA is seeking comments on topics such as:

the current regulations on commercial remote sensing satellite systems;

the current thresholds for commercial operations of U.S. systems;

the U.S. Government's manner of conditioning operations of U.S. system operators;

issues of foreign availability and competition; and,

possible alternative approaches to address U.S. national security, foreign policy, and commercial interests.

For public reference, the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992, the Licensing of Private Land Remote-Sensing Space Systems (15 CFR part 960), and other relevant materials may be found in the “Reference Materials” section on the NOAA Commercial Remote Sensing Licensing Web site, at http://www.licensing.noaa.gov. Comments should be received by NOAA no later than August 15, 2003, by postal service to the address listed above.