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 Summary

This collection consists of documents relating to Madeline Johnson and her role as Director of the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST).

 Biographical / Historical

President Reagan signed Executive Order 12465 on February 25, 1984, designating the Department of Transportation to be the lead agency for commercial expendable launch vehicles. Later that year, the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST) was established and placed in the Office of the Secretary. Madeline Johnson was selected by then Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole to be the Director of OCST in 1986. During her tenure, Johnson worked to build a cross-government coalition to persuade President Reagan to create the opportunity for a private-sector satellite launching industry; this was especially needed as the Challenger accident had grounded Space Shuttle missions. The OCST was moved from the Office of the Secretary and today resides with the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The OCST now gives final approval of any commercial rocket launch operations involving a U.S. launch operator or a launch from the U.S.

 Identifier

NASM.2020.0015

Creator

Johnson, Sara Madeline

Date

1986

Provenance

Estate of Sara Madeline Johnson, Gift, 2020, NASM.2020.0015

Extent

0.79 Cubic feet (2 letter document boxes.)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of documents relating to Madeline Johnson and her role as Director of the OCST, including agendas, memorandums, reports, presentations, her statements in front of Congress, and newspaper articles. Of special interest are the Economic Policy Council's Commercial Space Working Group documents and recommendations to President Reagan on commercializing satellite launches.

Arrangement note

No arrangement.

Rights

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Restrictions

No restrictions on access

Citation

Office of Commercial Space Transportation Collection [Johnson], NASM.2020.0015, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Astronautics and state

Rocketry

Space Shuttle Program (U.S.)

Satellites

Space industrialization

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials