Sec. 211. International Space Station
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Congress finds the following: The International Space Station is an ideal testbed for future exploration systems development, including long-duration space travel. The use of the private market to provide cargo and crew transportation services is currently the most expeditious process to restore domestic access to the International Space Station and low-Earth orbit. Government access to low-Earth orbit is paramount to the continued success of the International Space Station and National Laboratory.
The following is the policy of the United States: The United States International Space Station program shall have two primary objectives: supporting achievement of the goal established in section 201 of this Act and pursuing a research program that advances knowledge and provides benefits to the Nation. It shall continue to be the policy of the United States to, in consultation with its international partners in the International Space Station program, support full and complete utilization of the International Space Station.
The International Space Station shall be utilized to the maximum extent practicable for the development of capabilities and technologies needed for the future of human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and shall be considered in the development of the Human Exploration Roadmap developed under section 70504 of title 51, United States Code. The Administrator shall, in consultation with the International Space Station partners— take all necessary measures to support the operation and full utilization of the International Space Station; and seek to minimize, to the extent practicable, the operating costs of the International Space Station.
Reliance on foreign carriers for crew transfer is unacceptable, and the Nation’s human space flight program must acquire the capability to launch United States astronauts on United States rockets from United States soil as soon as is safe and practically possible, whether on Government-owned and operated space transportation systems or privately owned systems that have been certified for flight by the appropriate Federal agencies. Congress reaffirms— its commitment to the development of a commercially developed launch and delivery system to the International Space Station for crew missions as expressed in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005 ( Public Law 109–155 ), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008 ( Public Law 110–422 ), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 ( Public Law 111–267 ); that the Administration shall make use of United States commercially provided International Space Station crew transfer and crew rescue services to the maximum extent practicable; that the Orion crew capsule shall provide an alternative means of delivery of crew and cargo to the International Space Station, in the event other vehicles, whether commercial vehicles or partner-supplied vehicles, are unable to perform that function; and the policy stated in section 501(b) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 ( 42 U.S.C. 18351(b) ) that the Administration shall pursue international, commercial, and intragovernmental means to maximize International Space Station logistics supply, maintenance, and operational capabilities, reduce risks to International Space Station systems sustainability, and offset and minimize United States operations costs relating to the International Space Station.
Section 70501(a) of title 51, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: It is the policy of the United States to maintain an uninterrupted capability for human space flight and operations in low-Earth orbit, and beyond, as an essential instrument of national security and the capability to ensure continued United States participation and leadership in the exploration and utilization of space. . Chapter 701 of title 51, United States Code, and the item relating to such chapter in the table of chapters for such title, are repealed.
Chapter 703 of title 51, United States Code, and the item relating to such chapter in the table of chapters for such title, are repealed. Section 50133 of title 51, United States Code, and the item relating to such section in the table of sections for chapter 501 of such title, are repealed. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the feasibility of extending the operation of the International Space Station that includes— criteria for defining the International Space Station as a research success; any necessary contributions to enabling execution of the Human Exploration Roadmap developed under section 70504 of title 51, United States Code; cost estimates for operating the International Space Station to achieve the criteria required under paragraph (1); cost estimates for extending operations to 2024 and 2030; an assessment of how the defined criteria under paragraph
(1)respond to the National Academies Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space; and an identification of the actions and cost estimate needed to deorbit the International Space Station once a decision is made to deorbit the laboratory. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with the Administrator, academia, other Federal agencies, the International Space Station National Laboratory Advisory Committee, and other potential stakeholders, shall develop and transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a strategic plan for conducting competitive, peer-reviewed research in physical and life sciences and related technologies on the International Space Station through at least 2020. The strategic plan shall— be consistent with the priorities and recommendations established by the National Academies in its Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space; provide a research timeline and identify resource requirements for its implementation, including the facilities and instrumentation necessary for the conduct of such research; and identify— criteria for the proposed research, including— a justification for the research to be carried out in the space microgravity environment; the use of model systems; the testing of flight hardware to understand and ensure its functioning in the microgravity environment; the use of controls to help distinguish among the direct and indirect effects of microgravity, among other effects of the flight or space environment; approaches for facilitating data collection, analysis, and interpretation; procedures to ensure repetition of experiments, as needed; support for timely presentation of the peer-reviewed results of the research; defined metrics for the success of each study; and how these activities enable the Human Exploration Roadmap described in section 70504 of title 51, United States Code; instrumentation required to support the measurements and analysis of the research to be carried out under the strategic plan; the capabilities needed to support direct, real-time communications between astronauts working on research experiments onboard the International Space Station and the principal investigator on the ground; a process for involving the external user community in research planning, including planning for relevant flight hardware and instrumentation, and for utilization of the International Space Station, free flyers, or other research platforms; the acquisition strategy the Administration plans to use to acquire any new support capabilities which are not operational on the International Space Station as of the date of enactment of this Act, and the criteria the Administration will apply if less than full and open competition is selected; and defined metrics for success of the research plan. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the progress of the organization chosen for the management of the International Space Station National Laboratory as directed in section 504 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 ( 42 U.S.C. 18354 ). The report shall assess the management, organization, and performance of such organization and shall include a review of the status of each of the 7 required activities listed in section 504(c) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 18354(c) ).
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- Pub. L. 109-155
- Pub. L. 110-422
- Pub. L. 111-267
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Sec. 211
International Space Station
Pub. L.Pub. L. 109-155
Pub. L.Pub. L. 110-422
Pub. L.Pub. L. 111-267
Cites 5Cited by 0 across 0 sources