[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 2, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1223-S1224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. CORNYN:
S. 2617. A bill to provide for the development of a United States
strategy for greater human space exploration, and for other purposes;
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 2617
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
[[Page S1224]]
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).
______