National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act, 1982

(Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 97-351)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act, 1982 - Authorizes appropriations to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for research and development, construction of facilities, and research and program management for fiscal year 1982.

Permits appropriations for research and development to be used for any items of a capital nature (other than acquisition of land) which may be required at locations other than NASA installations for the performance of research and development contracts, and for grants to nonprofit institutions of higher education, or to nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is the conduct of scientific research, for purchase or construction of additional research facilities.

Requires the Administrator to notify the appropriate committees of Congress whenever the cost of a facility exceeds a specified amount. Permits funds appropriated for research and development or for construction of facilities to remain available without fiscal year limitation.

Permits the funds for construction of any of specified facilities: (1) in the discretion of the NASA Administrator, to be varied upward ten percent; or (2) following a report by the Administrator to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the circumstances of such action, to be varied upward 25 percent to meet unusual cost variations. Limits the total cost of all construction work to the total of the amounts specified.

Permits one-half of one percent of the funds appropriated for research and development to be transferred to the "Construction of facilities" appropriation. Authorizes the expenditure of such funds, together with $10,000,000 of the funds appropriated for construction of facilities, to construct, expand, or modify laboratories and other installations. Requires the Administrator to notify the appropriate committees of Congress of the specific nature, cost, and reasons for such construction 30 days before expending funds. Permits each committee to provide the Administrator with a written waiver of such period.

Prohibits for a period of 30 days following notification of the appropriate congressional committees the expenditure of appropriations for deleted programs, for programs in excess of the amount authorized, and for programs which have not been presented to such committee.

Includes within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States any vehicle used or designed for flight or navigation in space and on the registry of the United States while such vehicle is in flight.

Amends the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 to state that any object intended for launch, or assembled in outer space, which is temporarily present in the United States, shall not constitute infringement of any patent, as specified.

Excludes the United States Government from liability for any infringement of a patent incurred in the launch of a space vehicle for a person other than the United States.

Amends the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act, 1970 to repeal the requirement that former NASA employees report their whereabouts and current occupational duties to NASA.

Requires NASA to review and report to the authorizing committees of Congress on alternative systems for space transportation system upper stages before appropriations for procurement of any upper stages are expended.