[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 221 (Thursday, November 17, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 69059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24999]


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OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY


Request for Information; Sustainability of Microgravity R&D 
During and Beyond ISS Transition

AGENCY: Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

ACTION: Notice of Request for Information.

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SUMMARY: The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) 
requests input to help inform the development of a National Strategy 
for Microgravity Research and Development (R&D) to ensure 
sustainability of space-based research during and beyond microgravity 
platform transition--from the International Space Station (ISS) to 
future commercial platforms. This particular request seeks information 
regarding the future vision of a robust research ecosystem in low-earth 
orbit (LEO) and the role of the U.S. government in enabling that 
future.

DATES: Interested persons and organizations are invited to submit 
comments on or before 5:00 p.m. ET, December 2, 2022 to be considered.

ADDRESSES: Due to time constraints, mailed paper submissions will not 
be accepted, and electronic submissions received after the deadline may 
not be taken into consideration. You may submit comments by email:
     Email: [email protected], include Microgravity RFI 
in the subject line of the message.
    Instructions: Response to this RFI is voluntary. Email submissions 
should be machine-readable [PDF, Word] and should not be copy-
protected. Respondents need not reply to all questions listed. Each 
individual or institution is requested to submit only one response, in 
English. Electronic responses must be provided as attachments to an 
email. It is recommended that attachments with file sizes exceeding 
25MB be compressed (i.e., zipped) to ensure message delivery. Please 
identify your answers by responding to a specific question or topic if 
possible. Respondents may answer as many or as few questions as they 
wish. Comments of seven pages or fewer (2,500 words) are requested; 
longer responses will not be considered. Responses should include the 
name of the person(s) or organization(s) filing the response.
    Information obtained from this RFI may be used by the Government on 
a non-attribution basis for planning and strategy development. OSTP 
will not respond to individual submissions. A response to this RFI will 
not be viewed as a binding commitment to develop or pursue the project 
or ideas discussed. This RFI is not accepting applications for 
financial assistance or financial incentives.
    Responses containing references, studies, research, and other 
empirical data that are not widely published should include copies of 
or electronic links to the referenced materials. Responses containing 
profanity, vulgarity, threats, or other inappropriate language or 
content will not be considered.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice are subject to the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Responses to this RFI may be posted 
without change online. OSTP therefore requests that no proprietary 
information, copyrighted information, or personally identifiable 
information be submitted in response to this RFI. Please note that the 
United States Government will not pay for response preparation, or for 
the use of any information contained in a response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ezinne Uzo-Okoro; tel: 202-456-4444.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6617, OSTP is 
soliciting public input through an RFI to obtain feedback from a wide 
variety of stakeholders, including individuals, industry, academia, 
research laboratories, nonprofits, and think tanks. OSTP is 
specifically interested in public input to inform the development and 
release of a national strategy to ensure sustainability of space-based 
research in the decades to come. For the purpose of this RFI, 
microgravity R&D refers to any research or experimental development 
activities in LEO that leverage the unique environment of space, 
including altered gravity, thermal extremes, radiation, 
micrometeoroids, and the vacuum environment. OSTP seeks response to any 
or all of the following questions:
    1. What should be the United States' vision for the future of 
microgravity research?
    2. What should be the long-term microgravity research goals for 
U.S. presence in LEO?
    3. What are the top critical research, development, or operational 
needs required to ensure a smooth transition between the International 
Space Station and future commercial LEO microgravity platforms and 
realize the ideal future of microgravity research?
    4. What would be the most effective role of the U.S. government to 
ensure sustained LEO microgravity R&D following the retirement of the 
ISS?
    5. Should the U.S. government continue to sponsor a national lab in 
LEO after ISS transition? If so, what would be the best model(s) for a 
LEO national lab?

    Dated: November 10, 2022.
Rachel Wallace,
Deputy General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2022-24999 Filed 11-16-22; 8:45 am]
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