[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2617 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2617

To provide for the development of a United States strategy for greater 
            human space exploration, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 2, 2016

  Mr. Cornyn introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the development of a United States strategy for greater 
            human space exploration, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mapping a New and Innovative Focus 
on Our Exploration Strategy for Human Spaceflight Act of 2016'' or the 
``MANIFEST for Human Spaceflight Act of 2016''.

SEC. 2. REAFFIRMATION OF POLICY AND FINDINGS.

    (a) Reaffirmation of Policy.--Congress reaffirms that the long-term 
goal of the human space flight and exploration efforts of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration shall be to expand permanent human 
presence beyond low-Earth orbit and to do so, where practical, in a 
manner involving international partners, as stated in section 202(a) of 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 
2010 (42 U.S.C. 18312(a)).
    (b) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) In accordance with section 204 of the National 
        Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 
        (Public Law 111-267; 124 Stat. 2813), the National Academy of 
        Sciences, through its Committee on Human Spaceflight, conducted 
        a review of the goals, core capabilities, and direction of 
        human space flight, and published the findings and 
        recommendations in a 2014 report entitled ``Pathways to 
        Exploration: Rationales and Approaches for a U.S. Program of 
        Human Space Exploration''.
            (2) The Committee on Human Spaceflight included leaders 
        from the aerospace, scientific, security, and policy 
        communities. With input from the public, the Committee on Human 
        Spaceflight concluded that many practical and aspirational 
        rationales together constitute a compelling case for human 
        space exploration. These rationales include economic benefits, 
        national security, national prestige, inspiring students and 
        other citizens, scientific discovery, human survival, and a 
        sense of shared destiny.
            (3) The Committee on Human Spaceflight affirmed that Mars 
        is the appropriate long-term goal for the human space flight 
        program.
            (4) The Committee on Human Spaceflight recommended that the 
        National Aeronautics and Space Administration define a series 
        of sustainable steps and conduct mission planning and 
        technology development as needed to achieve the long-term goal 
        of placing humans on the surface of Mars.

SEC. 3. HUMAN EXPLORATION STRATEGY.

    (a) Human Exploration of Mars.--Section 202(b) of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 
U.S.C. 18312(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) to achieve human exploration of Mars, including the 
        establishment of a capability to extend human presence to the 
        surface of Mars.''.
    (b) Exploration Strategy.--
            (1) In general.--In accordance with this subsection, the 
        Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration shall submit an interim report and final report 
        setting forth a strategy to achieve the objective in paragraph 
        (5) of section 202(b) of the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration Authorization Act of 2010, as amended by 
        subsection (a) of this section, through a series of successive, 
        sustainable, free-standing, but complementary missions making 
        robust utilization of cis-lunar space and employing the Space 
        Launch System, Orion crew capsule, and other capabilities 
        provided under titles III, IV, V, and IX of that Act (42 U.S.C. 
        18301 et seq.).
            (2) Strategy requirements.--In developing the strategy 
        under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall include--
                    (A) the utility of an expanded human presence in 
                cis-lunar space toward enabling missions to various 
                lunar orbits, the lunar surface, asteroids, Mars, the 
                moons of Mars, and other destinations of interest for 
                future human exploration and development;
                    (B) the utility of an expanded human presence in 
                cis-lunar space for economic, scientific, and 
                technological advances;
                    (C) the opportunities for collaboration with--
                            (i) international partners;
                            (ii) private industry; and
                            (iii) other Federal agencies, including 
                        missions relevant to national security or 
                        scientific needs;
                    (D) the opportunities specifically afforded by the 
                International Space Station (ISS) to support high 
                priority scientific research and technological 
                developments useful in expanding and sustaining a human 
                presence in cis-lunar space and beyond;
                    (E) a range of exploration mission architectures 
                and approaches for the missions identified under 
                paragraph (1), including capabilities for the Orion 
                crew capsule and the Space Launch System;
                    (F) a comparison of architectures and approaches 
                based on--
                            (i) assessed value of factors including 
                        cost effectiveness, schedule resiliency, 
                        safety, sustainability, and opportunities for 
                        international collaboration;
                            (ii) the extent to which certain 
                        architectures and approaches may enable new 
                        markets and opportunities for United States 
                        private industry, provide compelling 
                        opportunities for scientific discovery and 
                        technological excellence, sustain United States 
                        competitiveness and leadership, and address 
                        critical national security considerations and 
                        requirements; and
                            (iii) the flexibility of such architectures 
                        and approaches to adjust to evolving 
                        technologies, partners, priorities, and budget 
                        projections and constraints;
                    (G) measures for setting standards for ensuring 
                crew health and safety, including limits regarding 
                radiation exposure and countermeasures necessary to 
                meet those limits, means and methods for addressing 
                urgent medical conditions or injuries, and other such 
                safety, health, and medical issues that can be 
                anticipated in the conduct of the missions identified 
                under paragraph (1);
                    (H) a description of crew training needs and 
                capabilities (including space suits and life support 
                systems) necessary to support the conduct of missions 
                identified under paragraph (1);
                    (I) a detailed plan for prioritizing and phasing 
                near-term intermediate destinations and missions 
                identified under paragraph (1);
                    (J) an assessment of the recommendations of the 
                report prepared in compliance with section 204 of the 
                National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
                Authorization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-267; 124 
                Stat. 2813), including a detailed explanation of how 
                the Administrator has ensured such recommendations have 
                been, to the extent practicable, incorporated into the 
                strategy under paragraph (1); and
                    (K) technical information as needed to identify 
                interest from potential stakeholder or partner 
                communities.
            (3) Independent review.--
                    (A) In general.--The Administrator shall enter into 
                an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to 
                review and comment on each interim report pursuant to 
                paragraph (1). Under the arrangement, the National 
                Academy of Sciences shall review each interim report on 
                the strategy described in paragraph (1) and identify 
                the following:
                            (i) Matters in such interim report agreed 
                        upon by the National Academy of Sciences.
                            (ii) Matters in such interim report raising 
                        concerns for the National Academy of Sciences.
                            (iii) Such further recommendations with 
                        respect to matters covered by such interim 
                        report as the National Academy of Sciences 
                        considers appropriate.
                    (B) Timing of review and comment.--The 
                Administrator shall ensure that the review and comment 
                on an interim report provided for pursuant to 
                subparagraph (A) is conducted in a timely manner to 
                comply with the requirements of this subsection and, to 
                the maximum extent practicable, to facilitate the 
                incorporation of the comments of the National Academy 
                of Sciences pursuant to subparagraph (A) into the 
                applicable final report required by this subsection.
            (4) Deadlines.--
                    (A) Interim reports.--Not later than 90 days after 
                the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less 
                than every five years thereafter, the Administrator 
                shall submit to the National Academy of Sciences an 
                interim report on the strategy required by paragraph 
                (1) in order to facilitate the independent review and 
                comment on the strategy as provided for by paragraph 
                (3).
                    (B) Final reports.--Not later than one year after 
                the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less 
                than every five years thereafter, the Administrator 
                shall submit to Congress a final report on the strategy 
                required by paragraph (1), which shall include and 
                incorporate the response of the National Academy of 
                Sciences to the most recent interim report pursuant to 
                paragraph (3).
                                 <all>