[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2977 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2977

  To secure the technological edge of the United States in civil and 
                           military aviation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 24, 2018

 Mr. Warner (for himself and Mr. Moran) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To secure the technological edge of the United States in civil and 
                           military aviation.

    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 ``Aeronautics Innovation Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States aircraft manufacturing industry 
        produced $342,682,000,000 in economic activity from manufacture 
        of aircraft and parts sales and supported 547,900 direct jobs 
        in 2016.
            (2) Growth in the civil aircraft market is projected to 
        offer $8,000,000,000,000 to $10,000,000,000,000 in new aircraft 
        sales, parts, and services over the next 17 years. 
        International governments are boosting their research and 
        development investments to give their domestic industries 
        competitive advantages in the aircraft market.
            (3) In 2015, the Department of Defense spent 
        $10,600,000,000 on jet fuel and $441,600,000 on jet fuel 
        transportation to support the warfighter. NASA's research into 
        ultra-efficient air transport is important to the military's 
        efforts to reduce fuel costs, logistics pressures, and the 
        level of human risk involved with providing worldwide energy 
        solutions.
            (4) NASA's aeronautics research and collaborative ventures 
        yield innovations that can eventually be utilized in the 
        aviation sector, opening up entirely new markets, enabling the 
        United States aviation industry to grow and maintain global 
        competitiveness, providing high-quality engineering and 
        manufacturing jobs, and benefitting the quality of life for our 
        citizens.
            (5) Continued progress in the science and technology of 
        aeronautics is crucial to the United States sustained economic 
        success and the protection of the United States security 
        interests at home and around the world, as acknowledged in the 
        2006 National Aeronautics Research and Development Policy. To 
        ensure Federal efforts remain on a disciplined path to meet 
        national objectives, the Director of the Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy is responsible for the implementation and 
        biennial review of the aeronautics research and development 
        plan of the United States.
            (6) All of NASA's other directorates and capabilities, 
        including those in space, depend on research and technology 
        that originated and is maintained in NASA's Aeronautics 
        Centers.
            (7) Aeronautics plays a central role in our national 
        security strategy, and our technological advantage over 
        potential adversaries must be maintained with sustained and 
        focused research and development.
            (8) NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate's 6 
        strategic thrusts (safe, efficient growth in global operations; 
        innovation in supersonic aircraft; ultra-efficient vehicles; 
        transition to alternative propulsion and energy; real-time, 
        system-wide safety assurance; and assured autonomy for aviation 
        transformation) are effective and necessary research areas for 
        the development of next generation aeronautics technology that 
        will preserve the United States lead in the global aviation 
        industry.
            (9) Aeronautics research is focused on fundamental 
        capabilities that have the potential to open entirely new 
        industries, including low-cost electric propulsion, advanced 
        composite material manufacturing, simplified air vehicle 
        operation, and increased vertical takeoff and landing, that 
        will allow for safer and more efficient aviation products and 
        support mobility and economic growth.
            (10) To meet the challenges of the 21st century, the United 
        States needs to support NASA's Aeronautics Research Program at 
        funding levels that are commensurate with its past, present, 
        and future contributions to the economic competitiveness and 
        national security of the United States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of NASA.
            (2) Aeronautics strategic implementation plan.--The term 
        ``Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan'' means the 
        Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan issued by the NASA 
        Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.
            (3) Air traffic management system.--the term ``air traffic 
        management system'' means the procedures, technology, and human 
        resources to guide aircraft through the sky and on the ground 
        and to manage low- and high-altitude airspace use.
            (4) NASA.--The term ``NASA'' means the National Aeronautics 
        and Space Administration.
            (5) Unmanned aircraft system; unmanned aircraft.--The terms 
        ``unmanned aircraft system'' and ``unmanned aircraft'' have the 
        meanings given those terms in section 331 of the FAA 
        Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note).
            (6) X-Plane.--The term ``X-Plane'' means an experimental 
        aircraft.

SEC. 4. EXPERIMENTAL PLANE PROJECTS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) developing high-risk, precompetitive aerospace 
        technologies for which there is not yet a profit rationale is a 
        fundamental NASA role;
            (2) near-full-scale to full-scale vehicle flight test 
        experimentation and validation are necessary for--
                    (A) transitioning new technologies and materials, 
                as well as their associated manufacturing processes, 
                for general aviation, commercial, and military 
                aeronautics use; and
                    (B) capturing the full breadth of benefits from the 
                Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate's investments 
                in priority programs called for in--
                            (i) the National Aeronautics Research and 
                        Development Plan issued by the National Science 
                        and Technology Council in February 2010;
                            (ii) the NASA 2014 Strategic Plan;
                            (iii) the Aeronautics Strategic 
                        Implementation Plan; and
                            (iv) any updates to the programs called for 
                        in the plans described in clause (i) through 
                        (iii); and
            (3) a level of funding that adequately supports full-scale 
        experimentation and related infrastructure must be assured over 
        a sustained period of time to restore NASA's capacity to see 
        legacy priority programs through to completion and achieve 
        national economic and security objectives.
    (b) National Policy.--It is the policy of the United States to 
maintain world leadership in military and civilian aeronautical science 
and technology, global air power projection, and industrial leadership. 
To this end, one of the fundamental objectives of NASA aeronautics 
research is the steady progression and expansion of high-speed flight 
research and capabilities, including the science and technology of 
critical underlying disciplines and competencies, chief among which are 
computational-based analytical and predictive tools and methodologies, 
aerothermodynamics, high-speed flight propulsion, advanced materials 
and manufacturing processes, high-temperature structures and materials, 
and flight controls.
    (c) Establishment of Experimental Plane Projects.--The 
Administrator shall establish the following projects:
            (1) A low-boom supersonic aircraft project that will--
                    (A) demonstrate supersonic aircraft designs and 
                technologies that reduce sonic boom noise to levels 
                that encourage the repeal of domestic and international 
                bans on supersonic flight overland; and
                    (B) gather the data needed to support informed 
                decisions of the Federal Aviation Administration 
                regarding overland supersonic flight.
            (2) A series of large-scale X-Plane demonstrators developed 
        sequentially or in parallel, each based on a set of new 
        configuration concepts or technologies determined by the 
        Administrator--
                    (A) to demonstrate aircraft vehicle and propulsion 
                concepts and technologies and related advances in 
                alternative propulsion and energy;
                    (B) to enable significant increases in energy 
                efficiency and lower life cycle emissions in the 
                aviation system while achieving a step change in noise 
                emissions; and
                    (C) to demonstrate high-speed flight propulsion 
                concepts and technologies.
    (d) Project Elements.--For each of the projects established under 
subsection (c), the Administrator shall--
            (1) include development of X-Planes and all necessary 
        supporting flight assets;
            (2) pursue a robust technology maturation and flight 
        validation effort;
            (3) improve necessary facilities, flight testing 
        capabilities, and computational tools to support the program;
            (4) award primary contracts for design, procurement, and 
        manufacture to United States companies, consistent with 
        international obligations and commitments;
            (5) coordinate research and flight demonstration activities 
        with other Federal agencies, as appropriate, and the United 
        States aviation community; and
            (6) ensure that the program remains aligned with the 
        Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan, and any updates to 
        the Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan.
    (e) Establishment of Advanced Materials and Manufacturing 
Program.--The Administrator shall establish an advanced materials and 
manufacturing technology program consisting of new material 
developments, from base material formulation through full-scale 
structural validation and manufacture, that will--
            (1) draw from and continue the work carried out by, the 
        Advanced Composites Project of NASA;
            (2) be conducted in partnership with academic and private 
        sector partners, including members of the Advanced Composites 
        Consortium;
            (3) develop materials and processes that reduce the cost of 
        manufacturing scale-up and certification for use in general 
        aviation, commercial, and military aeronautics;
            (4) shorten the time necessary to design, industrialize, 
        and certify advanced materials and manufacturing processes, 
        including manufacturing;
            (5) provide a structure for managing intellectual property 
        generated by the program similar to the structure of the 
        Advanced Composites Consortium;
            (6) address global cost competitiveness for United States 
        aeronautical industries and technological leadership in 
        advanced materials and structures;
            (7) coordinate with advanced manufacturing and composites 
        initiatives in other NASA mission directorates, as the 
        Administrator considers to be appropriate; and
            (8) comply with existing Federal Aviation Administration 
        regulations for use within programs in general aviation, 
        commercial, and military aeronautics.
    (f) On-Demand Aviation.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Fuller utilization of high-speed air transportation, 
        small airports, helipads, vertical flight infrastructure, and 
        other infrastructure can alleviate transportation congestion 
        and support economic growth within cities.
            (2) NASA should continue to develop and test air vehicles, 
        different propulsion systems, network systems, unmanned 
        aircraft system traffic management systems, and technology that 
        can be utilized in on-demand air transportation.
            (3) NASA should actively support the research around the 
        use of airspace for on-demand aviation.
            (4) This work should leverage NASA's ongoing efforts in 
        developing advanced technologies for large, high volume 
        commercial aircraft applications and airspace operations. The 
        Administrator should assess which air traffic concepts perform 
        most efficiently, taking into consideration factors such as 
        existing city infrastructure, small airports, and current 
        airspace operations.

SEC. 5. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) to ensure United States competitiveness on the global 
        stage, the Federal Government must work with the private sector 
        to safely integrate the increasing number of commercial 
        applications for unmanned aircraft systems; and
            (2) the sustained, efficient growth of the United States 
        transportation system will require harnessing the safety and 
        efficiency benefits of automated systems to relieve pressure on 
        infrastructure and traffic management.
    (b) Policy.--It is the policy of the United States Government to be 
an active partner with the private sector in the development of 
technologies, capabilities, and operating procedures for the safe, 
efficient integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national 
airspace, while ensuring current and future air traffic management 
systems are able to manage unmanned aircraft systems.
    (c) Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operation Program.--To advance the 
national policy described in subsection (b), the Administrator shall--
            (1) research, develop, and test capabilities and concepts, 
        including unmanned aircraft systems communications and 
        spectrum-related resources, for integrating unmanned aircraft 
        systems into the national airspace system;
            (2) leverage NASA's partnership with industry focused on 
        the advancement of technologies for future air traffic 
        management systems for unmanned aircraft for low- and high-
        altitude operations;
            (3) leverage industry's advancement of technologies for 
        unmanned aircraft to inform regulatory and standards 
        requirements for various sizes of civil unmanned aircraft 
        systems;
            (4) consider the needs of United States industry, 
        especially as operations transition to more automated systems; 
        and
            (5) continue to align its research and testing portfolio to 
        inform unmanned aircraft system integration consistent with 
        public safety and national security objectives.
    (d) Coordination With the Federal Aviation Administration.--It is 
the sense of Congress that--
            (1) NASA should continue to coordinate with the Federal 
        Aviation Administration on research on air traffic management 
        systems for unmanned aircraft systems and assist in the 
        establishment of the pilot program required under section 2208 
        of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (49 
        U.S.C. 40101 note) and the subsequent implementation of 
        unmanned aircraft system traffic management systems; and
            (2) unmanned aircraft system integration and unmanned 
        traffic management research should continue to leverage the 
        resources available through the unmanned aircraft system test 
        ranges designated by the Federal Aviation Administration under 
        section 332 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 
        (Public Law 112-95; 49 U.S.C. 40101 note).

SEC. 6. 21ST CENTURY AERONAUTICS RESEARCH CAPABILITIES INITIATIVE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Administrator shall establish a 21st 
Century Aeronautics Capabilities Initiative, within the Construction 
and Environmental Compliance and Restoration Account, to ensure that 
NASA possesses the infrastructure capabilities and computational tools 
necessary to conduct proposed flight demonstration projects across the 
range of NASA aeronautics interests. As part of such Initiative, the 
Administrator shall carry out the following activities:
            (1) Any investments necessary to upgrade and create 
        facilities for civil and national security aeronautics research 
        to support advancements in long-term foundational science and 
        technology, advanced aircraft systems, air traffic management 
        systems, fuel efficiency and electric propulsion technologies, 
        system-wide safety assurance, autonomous aviation, and 
        supersonic and hypersonic aircraft design and development.
            (2) Any measures supporting flight testing activities, to 
        include continuous refinement and development of free-flight 
        test techniques and methodologies, upgrades and improvements to 
        real-time tracking and data acquisition, and any other measures 
        related to aeronautics research support and modernization as 
        the Administrator may consider appropriate to carry out the 
        scientific study of the problems of flight, with a view to 
        their practical solution.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated to NASA 
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, to be derived 
from amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to NASA.
    (c) Report.--
            (1) Report required.--Not later than 120 days after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit 
        to Congress a report containing a 5-year plan for the 
        implementation of the 21st Century Aeronautics Research 
        Capabilities Initiative.
            (2) Elements.--The report required by this subsection shall 
        include--
                    (A) a description of proposed projects;
                    (B) a description of how the projects align with 
                the Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan or the 
                roadmap developed by the joint technology office on 
                hypersonics under section 218(d) of the John Warner 
                National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
                2007, and any updates to such Aeronautics Strategic 
                Implementation Plan or roadmap; and
                    (C) a timetable for carrying out activities and 
                initiatives authorized under this section.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Fiscal Year 2019.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for fiscal year 2019, 
$790,000,000, as follows:
            (1) For Airspace Operations and Safety Program, 
        $159,000,000.
            (2) For Advanced Air Vehicles Program, $280,000,000.
            (3) For Integrated Aviation Systems Program, $251,000,000.
            (4) For Transformative Aero Concepts Program, $100,000,000.
    (b) Fiscal Year 2020.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for fiscal year 2020, 
$930,000,000, as follows:
            (1) For Airspace Operations and Safety Program, 
        $165,000,000.
            (2) For Advanced Air Vehicles Program, $303,000,000.
            (3) For Integrated Aviation Systems Program, $300,000,000.
            (4) For Transformative Aero Concepts Program, $112,000,000.
            (5) For Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Program, 
        $50,000,000.
    (c) Fiscal Year 2021.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for fiscal year 2021, 
$974,000,000, as follows:
            (1) For Airspace Operations and Safety Program, 
        $170,000,000.
            (2) For Advanced Air Vehicles Program, $290,000,000.
            (3) For Integrated Aviation Systems Program, $350,000,000.
            (4) For Transformative Aero Concepts Program, $114,000,000.
            (5) For Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Program, 
        $50,000,000.
    (d) Fiscal Year 2022.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for fiscal year 2022, 
$996,000,000, as follows:
            (1) For Airspace Operations and Safety Program, 
        $175,000,000.
            (2) For Advanced Air Vehicles Program, $295,000,000.
            (3) For Integrated Aviation Systems Program, $360,000,000.
            (4) For Transformative Aero Concepts Program, $116,000,000.
            (5) For Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Program, 
        $50,000,000.
    (e) Fiscal Year 2023.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for fiscal year 2023, 
$1,030,000,000, as follows:
            (1) For Airspace Operations and Safety Program, 
        $180,000,000.
            (2) For Advanced Air Vehicles Program, $300,000,000.
            (3) For Integrated Aviation Systems Program, $382,000,000.
            (4) For Transformative Aero Concepts Program, $118,000,000.
            (5) For Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Program, 
        $50,000,000.
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