II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4779 

To extend the use of, and set forth priorities for, the International Space 

Station, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 4, 2022 

Mr. CRUZ introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to 

the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To extend the use of, and set forth priorities for, the 

International Space Station, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘ISS Extension Act of 

5 2022’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) ADMINISTRATION.—The term ‘‘Administra9 tion’’ means the National Aeronautics and Space 

10 Administration. 


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1 (2) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis2 trator’’ means the Administrator of the National 

3 Aeronautics and Space Administration. 

4 (3) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CON5 GRESS.—Except as otherwise expressly provided, the 

6 term ‘‘appropriate committees of Congress’’ 

7 means— 

8 (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

9 and Transportation of the Senate; and 

10 (B) the Committee on Science, Space, and 

11 Technology of the House of Representatives. 

12 (4) ISS.—The term ‘‘ISS’’ means the Inter13 national Space Station. 

14 SEC. 3. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION RELATING TO 

15 INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. 

16 (a) POLICY.—Section 501(a) of the National Aero17 nautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 

18 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18351(a)) is amended by striking 

19 ‘‘2024’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2030’’. 

20 (b) MAINTENANCE OF UNITED STATES SEGMENT

21 AND ASSURANCE OF CONTINUED OPERATIONS.—Section 

22 503(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administra23 tion Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18353(a)) is 

24 amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2024’’ and inserting 

25 ‘‘September 30, 2030’’. 


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1 (c) RESEARCH CAPACITY ALLOCATION AND INTE2 GRATION OF RESEARCH PAYLOADS.—Section 504(d) of 

3 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Au4 thorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18354(d)) is amend5 ed— 

6 (1) in paragraph (1), in the first sentence— 

7 (A) by striking ‘‘As soon as practicable’’ 

8 and all that follows through ‘‘2011,’’ and in9 serting ‘‘The’’; and 

10 (B) by striking ‘‘September 30, 2024’’ and 

11 inserting ‘‘September 30, 2030’’; and 

12 (2) in paragraph (2), in the third sentence, by 

13 striking ‘‘September 30, 2024’’ and inserting ‘‘Sep14 tember 30, 2030’’. 

15 (d) MAINTENANCE OF USE.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 70907 of title 51, 

17 United States Code, is amended— 

18 (A) in the section heading, by striking 

19 ‘‘2024’’ and inserting ‘‘2030’’; 

20 (B) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘Sep21 tember 30, 2024’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 

22 2030’’; and 

23 (C) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ‘‘Sep24 tember 30, 2024’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 

25 2030’’. 


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1 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of 

2 sections for chapter 709 of title 51, United States 

3 Code, is amended by striking the item relating to 

4 section 70907 and inserting the following: 

‘‘70907. Maintaining use through at least 2030.’’. 

5 (e) TRANSITION PLAN REPORTS.—Section 

6 50111(c)(2) of title 51, United States Code is amended— 

7 (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), 

8 by striking ‘‘2023’’ and inserting ‘‘2028’’; and 

9 (2) in subparagraph (J), by striking ‘‘2028’’ 

10 and inserting ‘‘2030’’. 

11 (f) ASSESSMENTS AND REPORT.—The Administrator 

12 shall— 

13 (1) conduct a comprehensive assessment of the 

14 viability of the ISS to operate safely and support full 

15 and productive use through 2030, including all nec16 essary analyses to certify ISS operations through 

17 2030; 

18 (2) not later than 180 days after the date of 

19 the enactment of this Act, submit to the Aerospace 

20 Safety Advisory Panel an assessment of— 

21 (A) the root cause of cracks and air leaks 

22 in the Russian Service Module Transfer Tunnel; 

23 (B) the certification of all United States 

24 systems and modules to operate through 2030; 


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1 (C)(i) an inventory of spares or replace2 ments for elements, systems, and equipment, 

3 including systems certified under subparagraph 

4 (B), that are currently produced, in inventory, 

5 or on order; 

6 (ii) a description of the state of the readi7 ness of such spares and replacements; and 

8 (iii) a schedule for delivery of such spares 

9 and replacements to the ISS, including the 

10 planned transportation means for such delivery 

11 and the estimated cost and schedule for pro12 curement of such spares and replacements and 

13 their delivery to the ISS; and 

14 (D) any other relevant data, information, 

15 or analysis relevant to the safe and productive 

16 use of the ISS through 2030; and 

17 (3) not later than 240 days after the date of 

18 the enactment of this Act, submit to the appropriate 

19 committees of Congress— 

20 (A) a report on the results of the assess21 ment conducted under paragraph (1); and 

22 (B) a plan to address any recommenda23 tions of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, 

24 consistent with section 31101(c)(2) of title 51, 


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1 United States Code, with respect to such as2 sessment. 

3 SEC. 4. PRIORITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall assess 

5 International Space Station research activities and shall 

6 ensure that crew time and resources allocated to the Ad7 ministration for use on the International Space Station 

8 prioritize— 

9 (1) the research of the Human Research Pro10 gram, including research on and development of 

11 countermeasures relevant to reducing human health 

12 and performance risks, behavioral and psychological 

13 risks, and other astronaut safety risks related to 

14 long-duration human spaceflight; 

15 (2) risk reduction activities relevant to explo16 ration technologies, including for the Environmental 

17 Control and Life Support System, extravehicular ac18 tivity and space suits, environmental monitoring, 

19 safety, emergency response, and deep space commu20 nications; 

21 (3) the advancement of United States leader22 ship in basic and applied space life and physical 

23 science research, consistent with the priorities of the 

24 most recent space life and physical sciences decadal 


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1 survey of the National Academies of Sciences, Engi2 neering, and Medicine; and 

3 (4) other research and development activities 

4 identified by the Administrator as essential to Moon 

5 to Mars activities. 

6 (b) REPORTS.— 

7 (1) ASSESSMENT AND PRIORITIZATION.—Not 

8 later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 

9 of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the 

10 appropriate committees of Congress a report on— 

11 (A) the assessment; and 

12 (B) the steps taken to achieve the 

13 prioritization required by subsection (a). 

14 (2) SPACE FLIGHT PARTICIPANTS.—Not later 

15 than 120 days after the date of the enactment of 

16 this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the ap17 propriate committees of Congress a report on meas18 ures taken, with respect to space flight participants 

19 aboard the ISS, to ensure government astronaut 

20 safety, to avoid interference in ISS operations and 

21 research priorities, and to prevent undue demands 

22 on crew time and resources. 

23 (3) ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORTS.—Concurrent 

24 with the annual budget submission of the President 

25 to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, 


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1 United States Code, the Administrator shall provide 

2 to the appropriate committees of Congress an an3 nual accounting of the use of Administration crew 

4 time and ISS resources, including the allocation of 

5 such resources toward the priorities described in 

6 subsection (a). 

Æ 


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