Sec. 312. Wide-Field Infrared Space Telescope
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Congress finds the following: Concurrent flagship programs challenge significantly NASA’s program management capacity, especially during later stages of the program management process. The Wide-Field Infrared Space Telescope (hereinafter referred to as WFIRST ) was cancelled in the President’s fiscal year 2019 budget request. WFIRST was funded in the amount of $150,000,000 in NASA’s appropriation for fiscal year 2018. Pursuant to direction in NASA’s appropriation for fiscal year 2018, NASA is conducting a preliminary life-cycle cost estimate, including any additions needed to achieve Class A classification, along with a year-by-year breakout of development costs.
Until such preliminary life-cycle cost estimate is complete, Congress has insufficient information to judge whether or not WFIRST should be authorized to proceed in fiscal year 2019. The total formulation and development cost, as such term is defined in section 30104 of title 51, United States Code, for the Wide-Field Infrared Space Telescope shall not exceed $3,200,000,000. The Administrator shall include in the budget for fiscal year 2020 a 5-year funding profile necessary to achieve the goal in subsection (b).
The Administrator shall not procure a launch vehicle for the Wide-Field Infrared Space Telescope until the James Webb Space Telescope is operational in space.