Exploring the Unknown - NASA's History Office

In the end, the administration bill was not significantly altered and eventually became the basis for
the Communications Satellite Act of 1962.
Document I-16
[1] (AUTOMATIC RELEASE IN A. M.’S OF TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1961)
FROM THE OFFICE OF SENATOR ROBERT S. KERR
DRAFT
EXPLORING THE UNKNOWN 73
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled,
That the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as amended (42 USC 2451-
2476), is amended by adding thereto a Title IV, to read as follows:
TITLE IV—SPACE COMMUNICATIONS
DECLARATION OF POLICY
Sec. 401. The Congress hereby declares that it is the policy of the United States to provide
leadership in the establishment of a world-wide communications system involving the use
of space satellites at the earliest practicable time, to provide for ownership of the United
States portion of the system, and to invite all nations to participate in the system in the
interest of world peace and closer brotherhood among peoples throughout the world.
CREATION OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
Sec. 402. (a) The provisions of this Section shall take effect as provided in Sec. 406 of this
Act.
(b) There is hereby created a corporation, to be known as the Satellite
Communications Corporation (hereafter referred to as the “Corporation”), whose object
and purposes shall be to develop, construct, operate, manage, and promote the use of a
communications satellite system in the public interest, and to foster research and development
in the field of space telecommunications.
(c) Organization and Operation. The Corporation shall be organized and operated
as a communications common carriers’ carrier, and shall own the United States portion
of the communications satellite system, consisting of the satellites, the earth terminals,
and associated ground control and tracking facilities. The Corporation. shall make the
facilities of the system available on a nondiscriminatory and equitable basis, at rates to be
established by the Federal Communications Commission (hereafter called the
“Commission”), to all United States carriers authorized by the Commission to provide
communications services via satellite.
(d) Foreign Participation. The Corporation shall also provide opportunities for foreign
participation in the communications satellite system, through ownership or otherwise,
on an equitable basis and on reasonable terms
(e) Ownership of Corporation. Ownership interests in the Corporation shall be limited
to United States communications common carriers who are determined by the
Commission to be eligible to participate in such ownership.
[2] (f) Officers of Corporation. There shall be a Board of Directors consisting of two