Sec. 303. ISS transition plan
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Congress finds that NASA has been both the primary supplier and consumer of human space flight capabilities and services of the ISS and in low-Earth orbit. It is the sense of Congress that an orderly transition is needed for United States human space flight activities in low-Earth orbit from the current regime, that relies heavily on NASA sponsorship, to a regime where NASA is one of many customers of a low-Earth orbit commercial human space flight enterprise. Section 50111 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
The Administrator, in coordination with the ISS management entity, ISS partners, the scientific user community, and the commercial space sector shall develop a plan to transition in a step-wise approach from the current regime that relies heavily on NASA sponsorship to a regime where NASA is one of many customers of a low-Earth orbit commercial human space flight enterprise. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization Act of 2016 , and triennially thereafter until 2023, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes— an identification of low-Earth orbit capabilities necessary to meet the Administration’s deep space human space flight exploration objectives and mission requirements beyond the period of operation and utilization of the ISS described in section 503 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 ( 42 U.S.C. 18353 ), if any; steps NASA is taking and will take, including demonstrations that could be conducted on the ISS, to stimulate and facilitate commercial demand and supply of products and services in low-Earth orbit; an assessment of current and projected commercial activities in low-Earth orbit, including on the ISS, and their potential for meeting the capabilities identified in subparagraph (A); an identification of barriers preventing the commercialization of low-Earth orbit, including issues relating to policy, regulations, commercial intellectual property, data, and confidentiality that could inhibit the use of the ISS as a commercial incubator; an evaluation of the feasible and preferred service life of the ISS beyond the period described in section 503 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 ( 42 U.S.C. 18353 ), through at least 2028, as a unique scientific, commercial, and exploration-related facility, including— a general discussion of international partner capabilities and prospects for extending the partnership, to include the potential for participation by additional countries, for the purposes of the human development and exploration of deep space; a review of essential systems, equipment upgrades, or potential maintenance that would be necessary to extend ISS operations and utilization; an evaluation of the cost and schedule requirements associated with the development and delivery of essential systems, equipment upgrades, or potential maintenance identified under clause (ii); an identification of possible international, academic, or industry partner contributions, cost-share, and program transitions to provide the upgrades identified under clause (ii); impacts on the goals and objectives of the ISS National Laboratory and the management entity responsible for operation of the ISS National Laboratory; impacts on services provided by the Commercial Resupply Services and Commercial Crew Program to the ISS; impacts on the use of the ISS as a testbed to transition functions of the ISS to the commercial space sector and enhance economic development of low-Earth orbit, including the evolution of self-sustaining commercial activities; an assessment on the technical limiting factor of the ISS lifetime, including a list of critical components and their expected lifetime and availability; 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; an evaluation of the functions, roles, and responsibilities for management and operation of the ISS and a determination of— those functions, roles, and responsibilities the Federal Government should retain during the lifecycle of the ISS; those functions, roles, and responsibilities that could be transferred to the commercial space sector; the metrics that would indicate the commercial space sector's readiness and ability to assume the functions, roles, and responsibilities described in clause (ii); and any necessary changes to any agreements or other documents and the law to enable the activities described in subparagraphs
(B)and (C); and progress on meeting human exploration research objectives on ISS and prospects for accomplishing future exploration and other research objectives on future commercially supplied low-Earth orbit platforms or migration of those objectives to cis-lunar space. Demonstrations identified under paragraph
(2)may— test the capabilities described in paragraph (2)(A); and demonstrate or test capabilities, including commercial modules or deep space habitats, Environmental Control and Life Support Systems, orbital satellite assembly, exploration space suits, a node that enables a wide variety of activity, including multiple commercial modules and airlocks, additional docking or berthing ports for commercial crew and cargo, opportunities for the commercial space sector to cost share for transportation and other services on the ISS, and other commercial activities. .
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Sec. 303
ISS transition plan
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