Sec. 10823. NEXT GENERATION OF ASTROPHYSICS GREAT OBSERVATORIES
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## SEC. 10823 NEXT GENERATION OF ASTROPHYSICS GREAT OBSERVATORIES ###
(a)Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— ####
(1)NASA’s Great Observatories, a suite of space-based telescopes launched over the course of 2 decades and comprised of the Hubble Space Telescope, Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and Spitzer Space Telescope, have enabled major scientific advances across a broad range of astrophysics disciplines, including with respect to the origins of planets, the formation and evolution of stars and galaxies, fundamental physics, and the structure of the universe; ####
(2)the decadal survey of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine entitled “Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s” recommends a vision to understand the relationships between stars and the bodies that orbit them by “looking” at the universe through a range of observations, including radio, optical, gamma rays, neutrinos, and gravitational waves, in order to understand the origin and evolution of galaxies; ####
(3)the United States and NASA are uniquely poised— #####
(A)to lead the world in the implementation of the next generation of Great Observatories, as recommended in such decadal survey, including implementation of an observatory to search for biosignatures of exoplanets in the habitable zone; #####
(B)to address the most compelling scientific questions of the next decade; and #####
(C)to transform not only our understanding of the universe and the processes and physical paradigms that govern the universe, but also the place of humanity in the universe; ####
(4)the Administrator should pursue an ambitious astrophysics program that meets the scientific vision of the astronomical community and the transformative capacity of technological innovation; and ####
(5)in implementing astrophysics research, in order to avoid the major growth in the cost of astrophysics flagship-class missions that has the potential to impact the overall portfolio balance of the Science Mission Directorate, the Administrator should seek to implement lessons learned from previous astrophysics missions, including by— #####
(A)establishing sufficient cost and schedule reserves; #####
(B)demonstrating in advance of preliminary design review, as practicable and appropriate, the maturity of necessary technologies through prototype demonstrations in a relevant environment; #####
(C)providing for regular updates to the cost, schedule, and risk of a project; and #####
(D)considering, as feasible, the impacts of cost and schedule changes across the Science Mission Directorate. ###
(b)Nancy Grace Roman Telescope ####
(1)In general The Administrator shall continue development of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (commonly known as the “Roman telescope” and formerly known as the “Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope”) in the configuration established through critical design review, to meet the objectives prioritized in the 2010 decadal survey of astronomy and astrophysics of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. ####
(2)Cost and schedule Section 30104 of title 51, United States Code shall apply to the development of the Roman telescope under paragraph (1). ####
(3)Quarterly reports Not less frequently than quarterly, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the progress of the development of the Roman telescope and the budget profile and schedule relative to the baseline plan for such development.