Sec. 221. Operation and utilization of the ISS
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It is the sense of Congress that— maximum utilization of partnerships, scientific research, commercial applications, and exploration test bed capabilities of the ISS is essential to ensuring the greatest return on investments made by the United States and its international partners in the development, assembly, and operations of that unique facility; and every effort should be made to ensure that decisions regarding the service life of the ISS are made on the basis of its projected capability to continue providing effective and productive research and exploration test bed capabilities.
Congress reaffirms the policy stated in section 501(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 ( 42 U.S.C. 18351(a) ) that it shall be the policy of the United States, in consultation with its international partners in the ISS program, to support full and complete utilization of the ISS through at least 2020. In furtherance of the policy under subsection (b), the Administrator shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that the ISS, as a designated national laboratory— remains viable as an element of overall exploration and partnership strategies and approaches; and remains an effective, functional vehicle providing research and test bed capabilities for the United States through 2020, up to 2028, and possibly beyond.
The Administrator, in consultation with the Office of Science and Technology Policy, shall determine, through analyses and discussions with ISS partners, the feasible and preferred service life of the ISS as a unique scientific, commercial, and exploration-related facility. Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and triennially thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that, at a minimum, includes— an assessment of whether ISS operations can be extended to at least 2028, including— a description of any activities that would be required of the international partnership to ensure that safety requirements are met; a general discussion of international partner capabilities and interest in extension, to include the potential for participation by additional countries; a review of essential systems or equipment upgrades that would be necessary for ISS extension and utilization to at least 2028; an evaluation of the cost and schedule requirements associated with the development and delivery of essential systems or equipment upgrades identified under subparagraph (C); and an identification of possible partner contributions and program transitions to provide the upgrades identified under subparagraph (C); an evaluation of the potential for expanding the use of ISS facilities to accommodate the needs of researchers and other users, including changes to policies, regulations, and laws that would stimulate greater private and public involvement on the ISS; and such other information as may be necessary to fully describe the justification for and feasibility of extending the service life of the ISS, including the potential scientific or technological benefits to the Federal Government or public, or to academic or commercial entities that, within the United States-owned modules of the ISS or in partner-owned facilities of the ISS allocated for United States utilization by international agreement, are or may become engaged in research and testing activities sponsored, conducted, and managed by the Administration or by the ISS management entity.
In this section, the term ISS management entity means the organization with which the Administrator enters into a cooperative agreement under section 504(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18354(a)).
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