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NASA Policy Directive |
NPD 1020.2J Effective Date: February 07, 2000 Expiration Date: February 07, 2029 |
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1 |
01/14/2015 |
Updated to comply with 1400 compliance requirements, administrative changes, and updated Applicability and Responsibility sections. |
2 |
01/23/2020 |
Updated to comply with 1400 compliance requirements, administrative changes. |
3 |
11/13/2024 |
Revalidated for another five years with administrative changes made to correct typos, grammar, and to bring the document into compliance with requirements for directives. |
a. It is NASA policy to recognize the following three categories of those individuals whose deaths may be marked by displaying the United States flag at half-staff:
(1) National: Upon the deaths of any Officials listed in the Proclamation 3044--Display of the Flag of the United States of America at Half-Staff Upon the Death of Certain Officials and Former Officials, 19 Federal Register (FR) 1235, and Position and Manner of Display, 4 U.S.C. 7(m), NASA Headquarters and all Centers shall display the U.S. flag at half-staff for the prescribed period of time.
(2) NASA: Following the deaths of certain current or former NASA Officials, and other U.S. or Foreign Officials as specifically requested by the President, NASA Headquarters and all Centers shall fly the U.S. flag at half-staff for a designated period of time.
(3) Local: Center Directors may display the U.S. flag at half-staff at Headquarters and at each Center as a mark of respect upon the deaths of prominent state and local Officials in keeping with the directions of the state governor and the protocols of their state. As appropriate, they may also honor agreements with commanders of local military bases (with whom they share space) to show mutual respect.
b. Whenever the U.S. flag is displayed at half-staff from a single pole, no other flags should be flown on the pole. When multiple flagpoles are used, a NASA facility shall either fly only the U.S. flag at half-staff and not fly any flags on the remaining poles; or, fly the other flags at half-staff, lower than the U.S. flag. If this method is chosen, the following procedure shall be followed: raise the U.S. flag to full-staff; raise the other flags to full-staff, then to half-staff; then lower the U.S. flag to half-staff.
c. When taking the flags down, raise the U.S. flag to full-staff; raise the other flags to full- staff and then down; finally, l-ower the U.S. flag. At no time will any other flag be flown higher than the U.S. flag.
a. This directive is applicable to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities and Technical and Service Support Centers.
b. Nothing in this directive will be considered to limit the authorities of the Office of the Inspector General described in Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, 5 U.S.C. app.
c. The applicability of this directive to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a Federally Funded Research and Development Center, is being assessed by NASA. This applicability statement will be updated as necessary when that assessment is completed
d. This directive is applicable to other contractors, recipients of grants or cooperative agreements, or parties to other agreements only to the extent delineated in this directive and specified in contracts, grants or cooperative agreement, or other agreements.
e. In this directive, all mandatory actions (i.e., requirements) are denoted by statements containing the term "shall." The terms: "may" or "can" denote discretionary privilege or permission, "should" denotes a good practice and is recommended, but not required, and "will" denotes expected outcome, and "are/is" denotes descriptive material.
f. In this directive, all document citations are assumed to be the latest version unless otherwise noted.
a. Position and Manner of Display, 4 U.S.C. 7(m)1.
b. Presidential Proclamation 3044 Display of the Flag of the United States of America at Half-Staff Upon the Death of Certain Officials and Former Officials, 19 FR 12352.
14 USC Ch. 1: THE FLAG
2Proclamations | National Archives
a. The Assistant Administrator for Protective Services is responsible for the overall management of this policy and for notifying all NASA Centers of the requirement to display the U.S. flag at half-staff and the duration of the honor following the deaths of any officials defined in paragraph 1a(2).
b. Center Directors will designate a Flag Protocol Officer (FPO) who will be the single point of contact for issues and decisions concerning the display of flags at half-staff. The FPO's are responsible for flying the U.S. flag at half-staff upon the deaths of any Officials defined in paragraphs 1a(1) and 1a(3). No notification will be provided by NASA Headquarters and no authorization by NASA Headquarters is required for these officials. FPO's will notify the Assistant Administrator for Protectives Services of the name and title of the individual which a local decision has been made to bestow this mark of respect.
/s/ Daniel S. Goldin Administrator
FR - Federal Register
FPO - Flag Protocol Officer
This document does not bind the public, except as authorized by law or as incorporated into a contract. This document is uncontrolled when printed. Check the NASA Online Directives Information System (NODIS) Library to verify that this is the correct version before use: https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov.