NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 4310.1A Effective Date: May 12, 2014 Expiration Date: May 12, 2025

Subject: Artifact Identification and Disposition Revalidated w/Change 1

Responsible Office: Office of Strategic Infrastructure

Chapter 1. NASA Artifacts and Their Use

1.1 NASA artifacts are items of personal property that represent important aspects related to the history of aeronautics and astronautics. Artifact significance and interest stem mainly from an item's relationship with historic flights, programs, activities, incidents, achievements, technology, understanding of the universe, historic properties, and important or well-known personalities.

1.2 Aeronautical and astronautical artifacts may include items such as aircraft; space launch vehicles; spacecraft (both manned and unmanned); subsystems of the above, such as rocket engines, pressure suits, and personal equipment; instruments; significant recorded data; operating handbooks; drawings; photographs; motion picture film and related documents; audio and video tapes; training devices; simulators; and memorabilia.

1.3 Artifacts generally are objects (as opposed to structures) and typically are man-made.

1.4 NASA encourages the donation of appropriate artifacts to eligible museums, schools, universities, libraries, and planetariums. It is in NASA's long-term best interest to preserve evidence of its activities, successes, and discoveries and to use artifacts to advance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiatives. As addressed in NPR 1387.1A, NASA policy is to educate and inform the public about the accomplishments and program goals sought and achieved in NASA's aeronautics and space programs through the direct and interactive medium of exhibits.

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