Executive Order 10793—Transferring Certain Functions From the Department of Defense to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (Public Law 85-568; 72 Stat. 426) and section 202 (b) of the Budget and Accounting Procedures Act of 1950 (31 U.S.C. 581c (b)), and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. Those functions (including powers, duties, activities, and parts of functions) of the Department of the Army or of any officer or organizational entity thereof which are now being performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology, near Pasadena, California (hereinafter referred to as the Laboratory), except so much thereof as relates primarily to military operations and weapon system development programs, are hereby transferred to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

SEC. 2. In connection with the transfer of functions provided for in section 1 of this order, there is hereby transferred to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration custody, possession, and control of the Government-owned property occupied or utilized by the Laboratory except those items of equipment therein which relate primarily to military operations and weapon system development programs of the Department of the Army.

SEC. 3. The Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall effect necessary administrative arrangements, including appropriate transfer of records, in connection with the transfers of functions and property provided for in sections 1 and 2 hereof. In order to provide for the most effective utilization of scientific and engineering resources, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall to the extent permitted by its own programs and facilities provide research and development support at the Laboratory in respect of military matters to the Department of Defense.

SEC. 4. The Secretary of the Treasury shall immediately transfer from such appropriations of the Department of Defense pertinent to the functions transferred by section 1 of this order as the Secretary of Defense shall designate, to such appropriations of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall specify, the amount of $4,078,250.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

THE WHITE HOUSE,

December 3, 1958.