NSDD 254 United States Space Launch Strategy

** 90350 NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON D.C. 20506 December NATIONAL SECURITY DECISION DIRECTIVE NUMBER 254 UNITED STATES PACI LAUNCH STRETEGY C 7, (U) Introduction This directive establishes U.S. national policy for restoration of the capability to launch satellites and missions into space to support U.S. national security, civil, and commercial goals using space. It is essential that U.S. space launch operations be reconstituted as efficiently as possible consistent with available funding and safety concerns; and that the reconstituted U.S. space launch assets provide a balanced, robust, flexible space launch capability which can function independently ef failures in any single launch vehicle system llow a retuil to egularly scheduled launch operations met conting Ing requi ements, help make up for lost launch opport inities an global space leadership. (U) This directive supers es SDD 164. Profious dire ives which include NSDDe 42, 80, 44, and lid out are odified accordingly. (U) 85 National Space Launch Capal ility The U.S. national space la inch capabilit will be ased on a balanced mix of launchers listing of Transportation System (STS) and expendable launch vehicles (ELVs). The elaments of this mix will be defined to best support the mission needs of the national security, civil government and commercial sectors of U.S. space activities. Critical mission needs will be supported, whenever necessary, by both the STS and ELVs so as to provide added assurance that payloads can be launched regardless of specific launch vehicle availabilities. (U) a. National Security a cca Transporttion The national security space sector will ase both the is and ELYs as determined by specific mission requi; s. Selected cr at ic 1 payloads will be designed for dual-com tib lity, i.e Of being launched by either the TS or the ELVs. Prom ior will be made for additional ELV launch ac1 ities needed to supr art the full range of orbits requir the nations sepurity m saions. (CT Implementation: The Department f Defense (DOD) will procure additional ELVs tomai tain a baund capability and to provide access to ace The DO wilt Impl ment procedures D assure payload/launch V. hid e compat! Lity and scheduling, and CQNFIDENETAL Declassify on: OADR CONFIDENTIAL "List" Ltr. Wm DECLARED Leary to Allen Weinstan 4/11/05 BY dlb 6/13/06