Sec. 302. Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development Program
370 words·~2 min read·
/bill/119/s/933/is/section-302·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Administrator shall use commercial low-Earth orbit destinations to ensure the continuous presence of United States Government crew to advance human space exploration, scientific discoveries, and United States economic competitiveness and commercial participation in low-Earth orbit. The Administrator, subject to the availability of appropriations, shall support and fund the Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development Program to provide a commercially supported follow-on capability to the International Space Station.
The Administrator shall issue a solicitation using full and open competition to identify commercial entities capable of providing services to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on commercial destinations in low-Earth orbit. Not later than April 30, 2025, the Administrator shall release a document outlining the requirements for a commercial destination in low-Earth orbit to facilitate the development of a request for proposal for services to be provided to National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Not later than September 30, 2025, the Administrator shall make available the final request for proposal to solicit industry proposals for such services. Not later than March 31, 2026, the Administrator shall select from among commercial entities that submit a proposal in response to the solicitation under paragraph (1), subject to the availability of meritorious proposals and appropriations, 2 or more commercial low-Earth orbit destinations to be developed, with the goal of establishing, not later than December 31, 2030, not fewer than 1 such destination capable of— providing safe, efficient, and reliable operations for continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit; and offering such services to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Funds provided by the Administrator to the Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development Program shall be used to support the selection described in subparagraph (A). The Administrator may not de-orbit the International Space Station until the date on which a commercial low-Earth orbit destination space station has reached initial operational capability in low-Earth orbit, in accordance with the managed transition process described in section 301(d)(2). The Administrator may waive the application of subsection
(d)if— the Administrator determines that technical issues exist that prohibit the safe and effective operation of the International Space Station; or a commercial system is capable of providing safe, efficient, and reliable operations for National Aeronautics and Space Administration missions, including not fewer than 2 mission-related flights.