42 U.S.C. § 18403
Goal for Agency space technology
(Pub. L. 111–267, title IX, § 904, Oct. 11, 2010, 124 Stat. 2836.)
It is critical that NASA maintain an Agency space technology base that helps align mission directorate investments and supports long term needs to complement mission-directorate funded research and support, where appropriate, multiple users, building upon its Innovative Partnerships Program and other partnering approaches.