The Iran Nonproliferation Act and the International Space Station: Issues and Options

Publication Date: December 2005

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Military and defense; Science and technology

Type:

Coverage: Iran

Abstract:

The Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000 (INA) was enacted to help stop foreign transfers to Iran of weapons of mass destruction, missile technology, and advanced conventional weapons technology, particularly from Russia. Section 6 of the INA bans U.S. payments to Russia in connection with the International Space Station (ISS) unless the U.S. President determines that Russia is taking steps to prevent such proliferation. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will become dependent on Russia for certain ISS crew-related services beginning in April 2006 for which NASA must pay. This report explains the origins of the INA, and a range of options for dealing with its ISS-related impacts that were considered by Congress. Congress passed an amendment to the INA in 2005 (P.L.109-112) that allows NASA to purchase ISSrelated goods and services from Russia through January 1, 2012. See CRS Report RS22270 for information on that amendment. This is the final edition of this report.