Sec. 306. Low-Earth orbit commercialization program
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/bill/116/s/919/is/section-306A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Administrator of NASA may establish a low-Earth orbit commercialization program to encourage the fullest commercial use and development of space by the private sector of the United States. The program under subsection
(a)may include— activities to stimulate demand for human space flight products and services in low-Earth orbit; activities to improve the capability of the ISS to accommodate commercial users; and subject to subsection (c), activities to accelerate the development of commercial space stations or commercial space habitats. The Administrator shall give priority to an activity under subsection (b)(3) in which the private sector entity conducting the activity provides a share of the cost to develop and operate the activity. The Administration may not engage in an activity under subsection (b)(3) until after the date on which the Administrator of NASA awards a contract for the use of a docking port on the ISS. Not later than 30 days after the date on which an award or agreement is made under subsection (b)(3), the Administrator of NASA shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report on the development of the commercial space station or commercial space habitat, as applicable, including a business plan for how the activity will— meet NASA’s future requirements for low-Earth orbit human space flight services; and satisfy the non-Federal funding requirement under subsection (c)(1). There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of NASA to carry out a low-Earth commercialization program under this section $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2020.