---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 18386"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "18386"
heading: "Collaboration with ESMD and SOMD on robotic missions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/18386"
units:
  - "Chapter 159 — Space Exploration, Technology, and Science"
  - "Subchapter VII — Space Science"
---

# §18386. Collaboration with ESMD and SOMD on robotic missions


The [Administrator](/usc/42/18302.md?p=1) shall ensure that the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate and the Space Operations Mission Directorate coordinate with the Science Mission Directorate on an overall approach and plan for interagency and international collaboration on robotic missions that are [NASA](/usc/42/18302.md?p=6) or internationally developed, including lunar, Lagrangian, near-Earth orbit, and Mars spacecraft, such as the International Lunar Network. Within 90 days after October 11, 2010, the [Administrator](/usc/42/18302.md?p=1) shall provide a plan to the [appropriate committees of Congress](/usc/42/18302.md?p=2) for implementation of the collaborative approach required by this section. The [Administrator](/usc/42/18302.md?p=1) may not cancel or initiate any Exploration Systems Mission Directorate or Science Mission Directorate robotic [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) before the plan is submitted to the [appropriate committees of Congress](/usc/42/18302.md?p=2).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–267, title VIII, § 807, Oct. 11, 2010, 124 Stat. 2834.)