110 HR 7062 IH: ISS GAP FILLER U.S. House of Representatives 2008-09-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7062 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 25, 2008 Mr. Feeney (for himself, Mr. Pearce, and Mr. Weldon of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To authorize the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to develop a plan to guarantee access to the International Space Station, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title; table of contents

(a)

Short Title

This Act may be cited as the International Space Station Guaranteed Access Plan For Integrated Launch and Low Earth Rendezvous Act or the ISS GAP FILLER Act. (b)

Table of contents

The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Findings. Sec. 3. Definitions. Title I—Authorization of Appropriations Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations. Title II—Space Shuttle Operations Sec. 201. Flight manifest. Sec. 202. Authorization of Space Shuttle operations through fiscal year 2012. Sec. 203. Suspension of activities that would inhibit or preclude continued operation of the Space Shuttle through fiscal year 2012. Sec. 204. Shuttle recertification. Title III—Alternative Access to International Space Station Sec. 301. Sense of Congress. Sec. 302. Domestic crewed vehicle demonstration. Sec. 303. Human rating requirements. Sec. 304. International crewed vehicle initiative. Sec. 305. ISS crew transfer and crew rescue capability. Sec. 306. Commercial space launch range study. Sec. 307. Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle use. Sec. 308. Exploration crew rescue. Title IV—Authorization of Extraordinary Payments in Connection with the International Space Station Sec. 401. Authorization of extraordinary payments.

2.

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)The United States has been the preeminent leader in human spaceflight for nearly 50 years. Under NASA’s leadership, this Nation has engaged many countries, including former adversaries, in a series of peaceful space missions that have contributed to mutual trust and understanding that continue to this day. (2)The planning and development of the International Space Station is the culmination of many of these collaborations, bringing together through NASA’s leadership a number of foreign partners to invest and participate in its construction and operation. It is the most technologically challenging and complex project ever undertaken. The United States has been the largest contributor, having invested approximately $100,000,000,000 developing, building, and transporting components of the International Space Station to orbit. (3)Based on previous agreements signed in 1998 between NASA and the Russian Space Agency ROSCOSMOS, the United States is obligated to provide crew rescue capability for 4 space station crew members at all times. With the space station crew size currently limited to 3, the United States is fulfilling its space station emergency crew rescue obligation by paying Russia for those capabilities using the 3-person Soyuz capsules, which are the only manned spacecraft capable of remaining on-orbit for up to 6 months at a time. (4)In January 2004, the President directed NASA to honor our international commitments to complete the assembly of the International Space Station and retire the Space Shuttle by 2010, as recommended by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. The directive also called for the development of a new system to enable astronauts to travel beyond low Earth orbit. This system, the Constellation System, consisting of the Orion crew exploration vehicle and Ares launch vehicle, would also be capable of traveling to the International Space Station but would not be available until 4 years after the projected retirement of the Space Shuttle. This plan was ratified by Congress in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005 (Public Law 109–155). (5)Congress reaffirms the goals of the United States Vision for Space Exploration to return to the Moon as a first step to further exploration of the solar system. In order to accomplish these goals, it is imperative to develop the Ares V launch system, giving the United States the heavy lift capability to return humans to the Moon, and to places beyond. (6)The plan also called for NASA to rely on Russia to fly United States astronauts to the International Space Station during the gap between Shuttle retirement and the initial operational capability of the new Constellation system. In addition to buying Soyuz vehicles from Russia to fulfill the U.S. crew rescue obligation, NASA plans to buy Soyuz launch services from Russia at a cost that has not yet been negotiated but is expected to exceed $1,000,000,000. (7)One of the guiding principles articulated in National Security Presidential Directive 49, United States National Space Policy, states, The United States considers space capabilities—including the ground and space segments and supporting links—vital to its national interests. Consistent with this policy, the United States will preserve its rights, capabilities, and freedom of action in space; dissuade or deter others from either impeding those rights or developing capabilities intended to do so; take those actions necessary to protect its space capabilities; respond to interference; and deny, if necessary, adversaries the use of space capabilities hostile to U.S. national interests. (8)In order to make purchases from Russia, NASA has been granted an exception, through the year 2011, to the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act (Public Law 106–178). Since there is roughly a 3-year lead time to build Soyuz vehicles, NASA is concerned that unless the 110th Congress extends the exception, NASA faces a lack of Soyuz capabilities beginning in 2012, which effectively ends United States access to the International Space Station. (9)The International Space Station is nearing completion, with remaining missions scheduled to be concluded by summer 2010. The Station’s crew size will increase to 6, enabling the full utilization of its laboratories and research facilities in a micro-gravity environment for the decade to come. Routine and assured access to the Station is critical if we are to capitalize on our investment. (10)Other nations are now investing heavily to develop manned spaceflight and robotic capabilities. During the gap following retirement of the Space Shuttle, these nations are expected to enhance their space capabilities, jeopardizing our Nation’s preeminence and our ability to influence other space-faring nations, contrary to the national policy (National Security Presidential Directive 49). United States influence in world affairs and our ability to shape future peaceful uses in space will be imperiled. (11)Congress believes it is imperative that NASA reduce our Nation’s dependence on foreign launch providers to access the International Space Station. While some lapse in United States manned spaceflight capabilities is tolerable, the gap has expanded to 5 years, and if development problems are encountered, the gap will continue to grow. A 5-year or more gap is too long to rely on other nations to access the International Space Station, the bulk of which we have provided. (12)Without assured access, the United States may have to abandon the International Space Station until the Constellation system is operational, giving other nations exclusive access to a laboratory largely built with United States technology and funding. That situation is unacceptable. Clearly, a new approach is needed, and this Act is a first step in a new direction. (13)Extending Space Shuttle operations for 2 additional years will reduce the gap and allow the United States to evaluate the capabilities of emerging space-faring nations. Based on their technological progress and their policies and programs, future United States policymakers will decide whether it is appropriate to continue funding the Space Shuttle. (14)The cost of extending Space Shuttle operations shall be funded by additional appropriations to NASA. It is contrary to Congress’ intent that extended Space Shuttle operations will be funded by cutting Constellation development or by reducing NASA’s science and aeronautics research programs.

3.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Administrator

The term Administrator means the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2)

ISS

The term ISS means the International Space Station. (3)

NASA

The term NASA means the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.