Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, National Archives and Records Administration

OUTER SPACE (OS)

(6.4 linear feet; boxes 1-16)

A primary subject category containing information pertaining to plans, programs, and development for manned and unmanned space exploration, and the space shuttle.

Subject categories and sub-categories fully available for research are bolded. Closed categories and sub-categories have a simple phrase describing their contents.

DESCRIPTION OF SECONDARY FILE CODES

File Code Description

OS Outer Space (2.4 ft; boxes 1-5 & OA Box 1)

This primary subject category contains material relating to administration policy and direction regarding national space policy, NSDD 042 (National Security Decision Directive); public correspondence on the future use of space; the militarization of space; funding for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); use of animals for space experiments; unidentified flying objects (UFOs); land remote sensing; space debris; the commercialization of space and the commercially developed space facility; the space shuttle and space station; NASA space programs and possible missions; and civilians in space.

OS001 Space Flight (4.4 ft; boxes 5-16 & OA Box 1)

This secondary subject category contains material relating to the space shuttle, manned space flight and the exploration of space. Material includes correspondence regarding presidential activities for shuttle liftoffs and landings, including the first shuttle flight, Columbia; congratulatory letters of successful missions; correspondence relating to NASA plans commemorating special events, such as the landing on the moon; the Young Astronaut Program; policy and legislation relating to space commercialization, including expendable launch vehicles, shuttle pricing, and the impact of the French Ariane launch vehicle on American companies; civilians flying in the shuttle and the first teacher in space program ; LANDSAT, Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS), communications, and other satellites; the Voyager program; the design, cost, and use of the space station; and the explosion of the Challenger shuttle (January 28, 1986) and the investigation into its cause.

The following case files are related to the Challenger explosion, but are not in chronological order: OS001 244630CA, 317088, 317110, 339433, & 354903.