[Senate Report 116-218]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                      Calendar No. 433
116th Congress      }                                    {      Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session         }                                    {     116-218
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     



                  NEIL A. ARMSTRONG TEST FACILITY ACT

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

           COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

                                   on

                                S. 2472

  
  
  
  
  
  [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]







               February 27, 2020.--Ordered to be printed 
               
                               __________

                      U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
                      
99-010                     WASHINGTON : 2020 
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
       SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
                     one hundred sixteenth congress
                             second session

                 ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi, Chairman
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota             MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
ROY BLUNT, Missouri                  AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
TED CRUZ, Texas                      RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska                BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
JERRY MORAN, Kansas                  EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska                 TOM UDALL, New Mexico
CORY GARDNER, Colorado               GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee          TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia  TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
MIKE LEE, Utah                       JON TESTER, Montana
RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin               KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona
TODD C. YOUNG, Indiana               JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
RICK SCOTT, Florida
                       John Keast, Staff Director
               David Strickland, Minority Staff Director























                                                      Calendar No. 433
116th Congress      }                                    {      Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session         }                                    {     116-218

======================================================================



 
                  NEIL A. ARMSTRONG TEST FACILITY ACT

                                _______
                                

               February 27, 2020.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

       Mr. Wicker, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 2472]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 
which was referred the bill (S. 2472) to redesignate the NASA 
John H. Glenn Research Center at Plum Brook Station, Ohio, as 
the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at the Neil A. Armstrong 
Test Facility, having considered the same, reports favorably 
thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of S. 2472 is to redesignate the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) John H. Glenn 
Research Center at Plum Brook Station, Ohio, as the NASA John 
H. Glenn Research Center at the Neil A. Armstrong Test 
Facility.

                          Background and Needs

    The Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility Act would redesignate 
the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Plum Brook Station as 
the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at the Neil A. Armstrong 
Test Facility. Neil Armstrong, the NASA astronaut who was the 
first human to walk on the Moon, began his NASA career as a 
test pilot at the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Plum 
Brook Station, and this legislation would rename the facility 
in his honor.

        NASA JOHN H. GLENN RESEARCH CENTER AT PLUM BROOK STATION

    Plum Brook Station, in Sandusky, Ohio, is a remote test 
facility for the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. 
Plum Brook is home to four world-class test facilities, which 
perform complex and innovative ground tests for the 
international space community.
    The Space Environments Complex (SEC) houses the world's 
largest and most powerful space environment simulation 
facilities including the Space Simulation Vacuum Chamber. The 
Reverberant Acoustic Test Facility is the world's most powerful 
spacecraft acoustic test chamber, which can simulate the noise 
of a spacecraft launch up to 163 decibels. The Mechanical 
Vibration Facility is the world's highest capacity and most 
powerful spacecraft shaker system, subjecting test articles to 
the rigorous conditions of launch. The In-Space Propulsion 
Facility is the world's only facility capable of testing full-
scale, upper-stage launch vehicles and rocket engines under 
simulated high-altitude conditions. The engine or vehicle can 
be exposed for indefinite periods to low ambient pressures, 
low-background temperatures, and dynamic solar heating to 
simulate the environment of orbital or interplanetary travel.

                           NEIL A. ARMSTRONG

    As the spacecraft commander for the NASA Apollo 11 mission, 
Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the lunar 
surface. Millions of viewers watching the broadcast of the Moon 
landing were inspired by his words as he took the first step on 
the lunar surface: ``That's one small step for a man, one giant 
leap for mankind.''
    After serving as a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952, 
Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for 
Aeronautics (NACA) in 1955. His first assignment was with the 
NACA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, which is now 
known as the NASA John H. Glenn Center. Over the next 17 years, 
he was an engineer, test pilot, astronaut, and administrator 
for NACA and its successor agency, the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration (NASA).
    Armstrong transferred to astronaut status in 1962 and was 
assigned as command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission. Gemini 8 
was launched on March 16, 1966, and Armstrong performed the 
first successful docking of two vehicles in space. After the 
Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong subsequently held the position of 
Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics at NASA 
Headquarters in Washington, DC. In this position, he was 
responsible for the coordination and management of overall NASA 
research and technology work related to aeronautics.
    He was professor of aerospace engineering at the University 
of Cincinnati from 1971 to 1979. During the years 1982-1992, 
Armstrong was chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation, 
Inc., Charlottesville, Virginia.
    He received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical 
engineering from Purdue University and a master of science in 
aerospace engineering from the University of Southern 
California. He also held honorary doctorates from a number of 
universities.
    Armstrong was a fellow of the Society of Experimental Test 
Pilots and the Royal Aeronautical Society, and an honorary 
fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and 
Astronautics and the International Astronautics Federation. He 
was a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the 
Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco. He served as a member of the 
National Commission on Space (1985-1986), as Vice-Chairman of 
the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger 
Accident (1986), and as Chairman of the Presidential Advisory 
Committee for the Peace Corps (1971-1973).
    Armstrong was decorated by 17 countries. He was the 
recipient of many special honors, including the Presidential 
Medal of Freedom; the Congressional Gold Medal; the 
Congressional Space Medal of Honor; the Explorers Club Medal; 
the Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy; the NASA Distinguished 
Service Medal; the Harmon International Aviation Trophy; the 
Royal Geographic Society's Gold Medal; the Federation 
Aeronautique Internationale's Gold Space Medal; the American 
Astronautical Society Flight Achievement Award; the Robert J. 
Collier Trophy; the AIAA Astronautics Award; the Octave Chanute 
Award; and the John J. Montgomery Award.
    Armstrong passed away on August 25, 2012, following 
complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. He was 
82 years old.

                         Summary of Provisions

    The Neil A. Armstong Test Facility Act would do the 
following:
   Provide the findings of Congress regarding the 
        accomplishments of NASA test pilot and astronaut Neil 
        Armstrong.
   Redesignate in his honor the NASA facility at which 
        Armstrong began his career.

                          Legislative History

    S. 2474, the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility Act, was 
introduced on September 12, 2019, by Senator Portman (for 
himself and Senator Brown) and was referred to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. On 
November 13, 2019, the Committee met in open Executive Session 
and, by voice vote, ordered S. 2472 reported favorably without 
amendment.

                            Estimated Costs

    In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the 
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget 
Office:

              [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


    S. 2472 would redesignate the NASA John H. Glenn Research 
Center at Plum Brook Station, Ohio, as the NASA John H. Glenn 
Research Center at the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility.
    CBO estimates that enacting S. 2472 would have no 
significant effect on spending subject to appropriation.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani 
Shankaran. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 
Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                      Regulatory Impact Statement

    In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the 
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the 
legislation, as reported:

                       number of persons covered

    The bill, as reported, would redesignate the NASA John H. 
Glenn Research Center at Plum Brook Station as the NASA John H. 
Glenn Center at the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility. Persons 
affected by this legislation would be limited to those involved 
in the redesignation of the facility.

                            economic impact

    The bill, as reported, is not expected to have a negative 
impact on the Nation's economy.

                                privacy

    The reported bill is not expected to have an adverse impact 
on the personal privacy of individuals.

                               paperwork

    The Committee does not anticipate a major increase in 
paperwork burdens resulting from the passage of this 
legislation. In those areas where the reported bill requires 
additional paperwork, it would be a limited and temporary 
occurrence due to redesignating the facility.

                   Congressionally Directed Spending

    In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no 
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the 
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the 
rule.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis


Section 1. Short title.

    This section would provide that the bill may be cited as 
the ``Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility Act''.

Section 2. Findings.

    This section would provide the findings of Congress 
regarding Neil A. Armstrong's history with what is now the NASA 
John H. Glenn Research Center at Plum Brook Station, Ohio, as 
well as the rationale for renaming the Center in his honor.

Section 3. Redesignation of NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Plum 
        Brook Station, Ohio, as NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at 
        the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility.

    This section would redesignate the NASA John H. Glenn 
Research Center at Plum Brook Station, Ohio, as the NASA John 
H. Glenn Research Center at the Neil A. Armstrong Test 
Facility.

                        Changes in Existing Law

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the 
bill as reported would make no change to existing law.

                                  [all]