[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 5]
[Revised as of January 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 14CFR1203.400]

[Page 16-17]
 
                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE
 
                          SPACE ADMINISTRATION
 
PART 1203_INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM--Table of Contents
 
              Subpart D_Guides for Original Classification
 
Sec. 1203.400  Specific classifying guidance.


    Technological and operational information and material, and in some 
exceptional cases scientific information falling within any one or more 
of the following categories, must be classified if its unauthorized 
disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause damage to the national 
security. In cases where it is believed that a contrary course of action 
would better serve the national interests, the matter should be referred 
to the Chairperson, NASA Information Security Program Committee, for a 
determination. It is not intended that this list be exclusive; original 
classifiers are responsible for initially classifying any other type of 
information which, in their judgment, requires protection under ``the 
Order.''
    (a) Information which provides the United States, in comparison with 
other nations, with a significant scientific, engineering, technical, 
operational, intelligence, strategic, tactical or economic advantage 
related to national security.
    (b) Information which, if disclosed, would significantly diminish 
the technological lead of the United States in any military system, 
subsystem or component, and would result in damage to such a system, 
subsystem or component.
    (c) Scientific or technological information in an area where an 
advanced military application that would in itself be classified is 
foreseen during exploratory development.
    (d) Information which, if known, would:
    (1) Provide a foreign nation with an insight into the defense 
application or the war or defense plans or posture of the United States;
    (2) Allow a foreign nation to develop, improve or refine a similar 
item of defense application;
    (3) Provide a foreign nation with a base upon which to develop 
effective countermeasures;
    (4) Weaken or nullify the effectiveness of a defense or military 
plan, operation, project, weapon system or activity which is vital to 
the national security.
    (e) Information or material which is important to the national 
security of the United States in relation to other nations when there is 
sound reason to believe that those nations are unaware that the United 
States has or is capable of obtaining the information or material; i.e., 
through intelligence activities, sources, or methods.
    (f) Information which if disclosed could be exploited in a manner 
prejudicial to the national security posture of the United States by 
discrediting its technological power, capability or intentions.
    (g) Information which reveals an unusually significant scientific or 
technological ``breakthrough'' which there is sound reason to believe is 
not known to or within the state-of-the-art capability of other nations. 
If the ``breakthrough'' supplies the United States with an important 
advantage of a technological nature, classification also would be 
appropriate if the potential application of the information, although 
not specifically visualized, would afford the United States a 
significant national security advantage in terms of technological lead 
time or an

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economic advantage relating to national security.
    (h) Information of such nature that an unfriendly government in 
possession of it would be expected to use it for purposes prejudicial to 
U.S. national security and which, if classified, could not be obtained 
by an unfriendly power without a considerable expenditure of resources.
    (i) Information which if disclosed to a foreign government would 
enhance its military research and development programs to the detriment 
of U.S. counterpart or competitive programs.
    (j) Operational information pertaining to the command and control of 
space vehicles, the possession of which would facilitate malicious 
interference with any U.S. space mission, that might result in damage to 
the national security.
    (k) Information which if disclosed could jeopardize the foreign 
relations or activities of the United States; for example, the premature 
or unauthorized release of information relating to the subject matter of 
international negotiations, foreign government information or 
information regarding the placement or withdrawal of NASA tracking 
stations on foreign territory.
    (l) United States Government programs for safeguarding nuclear 
materials or facilities.
    (m) Other categories of information which are related to national 
security and which require protection against unauthorized disclosure as 
may be determined by the Administrator. The Chairperson, NASA 
Information Security Program Committee, will promptly inform the 
Director, Information Security Oversight Office, General Services 
Administration (GSA) of such determinations.

[44 FR 34913, June 18, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 5890, Feb. 9, 1983]