Sec. 2614. Competitiveness within the human landing system program
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/bill/117/hr/4521/eas/section-2614·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that— advances in space technology and space exploration capabilities ensure the long-term technological preeminence, economic competitiveness, STEM workforce development, and national security of the United States; the development of technologies that enable human exploration of the lunar surface and other celestial bodies is critical to the space industrial base of the United States; commercial entities in the United States have made significant investment and progress toward the development of human-class lunar landers;
NASA developed the Artemis program— to fulfill the goal of landing United States astronauts, including the first woman and the next man, on the Moon; and to collaborate with commercial and international partners to establish sustainable lunar exploration by 2028; in carrying out the Artemis program, the Administrator should ensure that the entire Artemis program is inclusive and representative of all people of the United States, including women and minorities; and maintaining multiple technically credible providers within NASA commercial programs is a best practice that reduces programmatic risk.
It shall be the policy of the United States— to bolster the domestic space technology industrial base, using existing tools and authorities, particularly in areas central to competition between the United States and the People’s Republic of China; and to mitigate threats and minimize challenges to the superiority of the United States in space technology, including lunar infrastructure and lander capabilities. Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this division, the Administrator shall maintain competitiveness within the human landing system program by funding design, development, testing, and evaluation for not fewer than 2 entities.
In carrying out the human landing system program referred to in paragraph (1), the Administrator shall, to the extent practicable— encourage reusability and sustainability of systems developed; and offer existing capabilities and assets of NASA centers to support such partnerships. Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this division, the Administrator shall provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the implementation of paragraph (1).
In addition to amounts otherwise appropriated for the Artemis program, for fiscal years 2021 through 2025, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,032,000,000 to NASA to carry out the human landing system program. The Administrator shall not, in order to comply with the obligations referred to in paragraph (1), modify, terminate, or rescind any selection decisions or awards made under the human landing system program that were announced prior to the date of enactment of this division.
In this section, the term appropriate committees of Congress means— the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.