Sec. 302. Radioisotope power systems
469 words·~2 min read·
/bill/113/hr/4412/unknown/section-302A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that conducting deep space exploration requires radioisotope power systems, and establishing continuity in the production of the material needed to power these systems is paramount to the success of these future deep space missions. It is further the sense of Congress that Federal agencies supporting the Administration through the production of such material should do so in a cost effective manner so as not to impose excessive reimbursement requirements on the Administration.
The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Administrator, in consultation with other Federal agencies, shall conduct an analysis of— the requirements of the Administration for radioisotope power system material that is needed to carry out planned, high priority robotic missions in the solar system and other surface exploration activities beyond low-Earth orbit; and the risks to missions of the Administration in meeting those requirements, or any additional requirements, due to a lack of adequate radioisotope power system material.
The analysis conducted under subsection
(b)shall— detail the Administration’s current projected mission requirements and associated timeframes for radioisotope power system material; explain the assumptions used to determine the Administration’s requirements for the material, including— the planned use of advanced thermal conversion technology such as advanced thermocouples and Stirling generators and converters; and the risks and implications of, and contingencies for, any delays or unanticipated technical challenges affecting or related to the Administration’s mission plans for the anticipated use of advanced thermal conversion technology; assess the risk to the Administration’s programs of any potential delays in achieving the schedule and milestones for planned domestic production of radioisotope power system material; outline a process for meeting any additional Administration requirements for the material; estimate the incremental costs required to increase the amount of material produced each year, if such an increase is needed to support additional Administration requirements for the material; detail how the Administration and other Federal agencies will manage, operate, and fund production facilities and the design and development of all radioisotope power systems used by the Administration and other Federal agencies as necessary; specify the steps the Administration will take, in consultation with the Department of Energy, to preserve the infrastructure and workforce necessary for production of radioisotope power systems and ensure that its reimbursements to the Department of Energy associated with such preservation are equitable and justified; and detail how the Administration has implemented or rejected the recommendations from the National Research Council’s 2009 report titled Radioisotope Power Systems: An Imperative for Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Space Exploration . Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit the results of the analysis to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.