tion Act of 2010, that a balanced and adequately funded 
set of activities, consisting of research and analysis grants 
programs, technology development, small, medium, and 
large space missions, and suborbital research activities, 
contributes to a robust and productive science program 
and serves as a catalyst for innovation and discovery.’’. 
(b) DECADAL SURVEYS.—In proposing the funding 
of programs and activities for the Administration for each 
fiscal year, the Administrator shall to the greatest extent 
practicable follow guidance provided in the current decadal 
surveys from the National Academies’ Space Studies 
Board. 
SEC. 302. RADIOISOTOPE POWER SYSTEMS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that conducting deep space exploration requires ra-
dioisotope power systems, and establishing continuity in 
the production of the material needed to power these sys-
tems is paramount to the success of these future deep 
space missions. It is further the sense of Congress that 
Federal agencies supporting the Administration through 
the production of such material should do so in a cost ef-
fective manner so as not to impose excessive reimburse-
ment requirements on the Administration. 
(b) ANALYSIS OF REQUIREMENTS AND RISKS.—The 
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 
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and the Administrator, in consultation with other Federal 
agencies, shall conduct an analysis of— 
(1) the requirements of the Administration for 
radioisotope power system material that is needed to 
carry out planned, high priority robotic missions in 
the solar system and other surface exploration activi-
ties beyond low-Earth orbit; and 
(2) the risks to missions of the Administration 
in meeting those requirements, or any additional re-
quirements, due to a lack of adequate radioisotope 
power system material. 
(c) CONTENTS
OF ANALYSIS.—The analysis con-
ducted under subsection (b) shall— 
(1) detail the Administration’s current pro-
jected mission requirements and associated time-
frames for radioisotope power system material; 
(2) explain the assumptions used to determine 
the Administration’s requirements for the material, 
including— 
(A) the planned use of advanced thermal 
conversion 
technology 
such 
as 
advanced 
thermocouples and Stirling generators and con-
verters; and 
(B) the risks and implications of, and con-
tingencies for, any delays or unanticipated tech-
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nical challenges affecting or related to the Ad-
ministration’s mission plans for the anticipated 
use of advanced thermal conversion technology; 
(3) assess the risk to the Administration’s pro-
grams of any potential delays in achieving the sched-
ule and milestones for planned domestic production 
of radioisotope power system material; 
(4) outline a process for meeting any additional 
Administration requirements for the material; 
(5) estimate the incremental costs required to 
increase the amount of material produced each year, 
if such an increase is needed to support additional 
Administration requirements for the material; 
(6) detail how the Administration and other 
Federal agencies will manage, operate, and fund 
production facilities and the design and development 
of all radioisotope power systems used by the Ad-
ministration and other Federal agencies as nec-
essary; 
(7) specify the steps the Administration will 
take, in consultation with the Department of En-
ergy, to preserve the infrastructure and workforce 
necessary for production of radioisotope power sys-
tems and ensure that its reimbursements to the De-
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partment of Energy associated with such preserva-
tion are equitable and justified; and 
(8) detail how the Administration has imple-
mented or rejected the recommendations from the 
National Research Council’s 2009 report titled ‘‘Ra-
dioisotope Power Systems: An Imperative for Main-
taining U.S. Leadership in Space Exploration’’. 
(d) TRANSMITTAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
transmit the results of the analysis to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate. 
SEC. 303. CONGRESSIONAL DECLARATION OF POLICY AND 
PURPOSE. 
Section 20102(d) of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(10) The direction of the unique competence 
of the Administration to the search for life’s origin, 
evolution, distribution, and future in the Universe. 
In carrying out this objective, the Administration 
may use any practicable ground-based, airborne, or 
space-based technical means and spectra of electro-
magnetic radiation.’’. 
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SEC. 304. UNIVERSITY CLASS SCIENCE MISSIONS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that principal investigator-led small orbital science 
missions, including CubeSat class, University Explorer 
(UNEX) class, Small Explorer (SMEX) class, and Ven-
ture class, offer valuable opportunities to advance science 
at low cost, train the next generation of scientists and en-
gineers, and enable participants in the program to acquire 
skills in systems engineering and systems integration that 
are critical to maintaining the Nation’s leadership in space 
and to enhancing the United States innovation and com-
petitiveness abroad. 
(b) REVIEW
OF
PRINCIPAL
INVESTIGATOR-LED 
SMALL ORBITAL SCIENCE MISSIONS.—The Administrator 
shall conduct a review of the science missions described 
in subsection (a). The review shall include— 
(1) the status, capability, and availability of ex-
isting small orbital science mission programs and 
the extent to which each program enables the par-
ticipation of university scientists and students; 
(2) the opportunities such mission programs 
provide for scientific research; 
(3) the opportunities such mission programs 
provide for training and education, including sci-
entific and engineering workforce development, in-
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(2) provide a foundation for future activities 
and initiatives. 
(c) REPORT
TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Na-
tional Academies shall transmit a report to the Adminis-
trator, and to the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, 
containing the strategy developed under subsection (a). 
SEC. 313. JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the James Webb Space Telescope will revo-
lutionize our understanding of star and planet for-
mation and how galaxies evolved, and advance the 
search for the origins of the universe; 
(2) the James Webb Space Telescope will en-
able American scientists to maintain their leadership 
in astrophysics and other disciplines; 
(3) the James Webb Space Telescope program 
is making steady progress towards a launch in 2018; 
(4) the on-time and on-budget delivery of the 
James Webb Space Telescope is a high congressional 
priority; and 
(5) maintaining this progress will require the 
Administrator to ensure that integrated testing is 
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appropriately timed and sufficiently comprehensive 
to enable potential issues to be identified and ad-
dressed early enough to be handled within the James 
Webb Space Telescope’s development schedule prior 
to launch. 
SEC. 314. NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE TELESCOPE 
DONATION. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit a report to 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate out-
lining the cost of the Administration’s potential plan for 
developing the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope as 
described in the 2010 National Academies’ astronomy and 
astrophysics decadal survey, including an alternative plan 
for the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope 2.4, which 
includes the donated 2.4-meter aperture National Recon-
naissance Office telescope. Due to the budget constraints 
on the Administration’s science programs, this report shall 
include— 
(1) an assessment of cost efficient approaches 
to develop the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope; 
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(2) a comparison to the development of mission 
concepts that exclude the utilization of the donated 
asset; 
(3) an assessment of how the Administration’s 
existing science missions will be affected by the utili-
zation of the donated asset described in this section; 
and 
(4) a description of the cost associated with 
storing and maintaining the donated asset. 
SEC. 315. WIDE-FIELD INFRARED SURVEY TELESCOPE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Administrator, to the extent practicable, 
should make progress on the technologies and capabilities 
needed to position the Administration to meet the objec-
tives of the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope mission, 
as outlined in the 2010 National Academies’ astronomy 
and astrophysics decadal survey, in a way that maximizes 
the scientific productivity of meeting those objectives for 
the resources invested. It is further the sense of Congress 
that the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope mission 
has the potential to enable scientific discoveries that will 
transform our understanding of the universe. 
(b) CONTINUITY OF DEVELOPMENT.—The Adminis-
trator shall ensure that the concept definition and pre- 
formulation activities of a Wide-Field Infrared Survey Tel-
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escope mission continue while the James Webb Space Tel-
escope is being completed. 
SEC. 316. STRATOSPHERIC OBSERVATORY FOR INFRARED 
ASTRONOMY. 
The Administrator shall not use any funding appro-
priated to the Administration for fiscal year 2015 for the 
shutdown of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared 
Astronomy or for the preparation therefor. 
Subtitle C—Planetary Science 
SEC. 321. DECADAL CADENCE. 
In carrying out section 301(b), the Administrator 
shall seek to ensure to the greatest extent practicable that 
the Administration carries out a balanced set of planetary 
science programs in accordance with the priorities estab-
lished in the most recent decadal survey for planetary 
science. Such programs shall include, at a minimum— 
(1) a Discovery-class mission at least once every 
24 months; 
(2) a New Frontiers-class mission at least once 
every 60 months; and 
(3) at least one Flagship-class mission per 
decadal survey period, including a Europa mission 
with a goal of launching by 2021. 
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SEC. 322. NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) Near-Earth objects pose a serious and cred-
ible threat to humankind, as many scientists believe 
that a major asteroid or comet was responsible for 
the mass extinction of the majority of the Earth’s 
species, including the dinosaurs, approximately 
65,000,000 years ago. 
(2) Similar objects have struck the Earth or 
passed through the Earth’s atmosphere several times 
in the Earth’s history and pose a similar threat in 
the future. 
(3) Several such near-Earth objects have only 
been discovered within days of the objects’ closest 
approach to Earth, and recent discoveries of such 
large objects indicate that many large near-Earth 
objects remain to be discovered. 
(4) The efforts undertaken by the Administra-
tion for detecting and characterizing the hazards of 
near-Earth objects should continue to seek to fully 
determine the threat posed by such objects to cause 
widespread destruction and loss of life. 
(b) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the 
term ‘‘near-Earth object’’ means an asteroid or comet with 
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a perihelion distance of less than 1.3 Astronomical Units 
from the Sun. 
(c) NEAR-EARTH OBJECT SURVEY.—The Adminis-
trator shall continue to detect, track, catalogue, and char-
acterize the physical characteristics of near-Earth objects 
equal to or greater than 140 meters in diameter in order 
to assess the threat of such near-Earth objects to the 
Earth, pursuant to the George E. Brown, Jr. Near-Earth 
Object Survey Act (42 U.S.C. 16691). It shall be the goal 
of the Survey program to achieve 90 percent completion 
of its near-Earth object catalogue (based on statistically 
predicted populations of near-Earth objects) by 2020. 
(d) WARNING AND MITIGATION OF POTENTIAL HAZ-
ARDS
OF NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS.—Congress reaffirms 
the policy set forth in section 20102(g) of title 51, United 
States Code (relating to detecting, tracking, cataloguing, 
and characterizing asteroids and comets). 
(e) PROGRAM REPORT.—The Director of the Office 
of Science and Technology Policy and the Administrator 
shall transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate, not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, an initial report that provides— 
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(1) recommendations for carrying out the Sur-
vey program and an associated proposed budget; 
(2) analysis of possible options that the Admin-
istration could employ to divert an object on a likely 
collision course with Earth; and 
(3) a description of the status of efforts to co-
ordinate and cooperate with other countries to dis-
cover hazardous asteroids and comets, plan a mitiga-
tion strategy, and implement that strategy in the 
event of the discovery of an object on a likely colli-
sion course with Earth. 
(f) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Subsequent to the initial re-
port the Administrator shall annually transmit to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
that provides— 
(1) a summary of all activities carried out pur-
suant to subsection (c) since the date of enactment 
of this Act, including the progress toward achieving 
90 percent completion of the survey described in 
subsection (c); and 
(2) a summary of expenditures for all activities 
carried out pursuant to subsection (c) since the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
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(g) STUDY.—The Administrator, in collaboration 
with other relevant Federal agencies, shall carry out a 
technical and scientific assessment of the capabilities and 
resources to— 
(1) accelerate the survey described in subsection 
(c); and 
(2) expand the Administration’s Near-Earth 
Object Program to include the detection, tracking, 
cataloguing, and characterization of potentially haz-
ardous near-Earth objects less than 140 meters in 
diameter. 
(h) TRANSMITTAL.—Not later than 270 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
transmit the results of the assessment carried out under 
subsection (g) to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate. 
SEC. 323. NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PART-
NERSHIPS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Administration should seek to leverage the 
capabilities of the private sector and philanthropic organi-
zations to the maximum extent practicable in carrying out 
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the Near-Earth Object Survey program in order to meet 
the goal of the Survey program. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit 
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
describing how the Administration can expand collabo-
rative partnerships to detect, track, catalogue, and cat-
egorize near-Earth objects. 
SEC. 324. RESEARCH ON NEAR-EARTH OBJECT TSUNAMI 
EFFECTS. 
(a) REPORT
ON POTENTIAL TSUNAMI EFFECTS 
FROM NEAR-EARTH OBJECT IMPACT.—The Adminis-
trator, in collaboration with the Administrator of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other 
relevant agencies, shall prepare a report identifying and 
describing existing research activities and further research 
objectives that would increase our understanding of the 
nature of the effects of potential tsunamis that could occur 
if a near-Earth object were to impact an ocean of Earth. 
(b) TRANSMITTAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
transmit the report required and prepared under sub-
section (a) to the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
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nology of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 
SEC. 325. ASTROBIOLOGY STRATEGY. 
(a) STRATEGY.—The Administrator shall enter into 
an arrangement with the National Academies to develop 
a science strategy for astrobiology that would outline key 
scientific questions, identify the most promising research 
in the field, and indicate the extent to which the mission 
priorities in existing decadal surveys address the search 
for life’s origin, evolution, distribution, and future in the 
Universe. The strategy shall include recommendations for 
coordination with international partners. 
(b) USE OF STRATEGY.—The Administrator shall use 
the strategy developed under subsection (a) in planning 
and funding research and other activities and initiatives 
in the field of astrobiology. 
(c) REPORT
TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Na-
tional Academies shall transmit a report to the Adminis-
trator, and to the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, 
containing the strategy developed under subsection (a). 
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SEC. 326. ASTROBIOLOGY PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report de-
scribing how the Administration can expand collaborative 
partnerships to study life’s origin, evolution, distribution, 
and future in the Universe. 
SEC. 327. ASSESSMENT OF MARS ARCHITECTURE. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.—The Administrator shall enter 
into an arrangement with the National Academies to as-
sess— 
(1) the Administration’s revised post-2016 
Mars exploration architecture and its responsiveness 
to the strategies, priorities, and guidelines put for-
ward by the National Academies’ planetary science 
decadal surveys and other relevant National Acad-
emies Mars-related reports; 
(2) the long-term goals of the Administration’s 
Mars Exploration Program and such program’s abil-
ity to optimize the science return, given the current 
fiscal posture of the program; 
(3) the Mars architecture’s relationship to 
Mars-related activities to be undertaken by agencies 
and organizations outside of the United States; and 
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(4) the extent to which the Mars architecture 
represents a reasonably balanced mission portfolio. 
(b) TRANSMITTAL.—Not later than 18 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
transmit the results of the assessment to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate. 
Subtitle D—Heliophysics 
SEC. 331. DECADAL CADENCE. 
In carrying out section 301(b), the Administrator 
shall seek to ensure to the extent practicable a steady ca-
dence of large, medium, and small heliophysics missions. 
SEC. 332. REVIEW OF SPACE WEATHER. 
(a) REVIEW.—The Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy, in consultation with the Adminis-
trator, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration, the Director of the National 
Science Foundation, and heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, shall enter into an arrangement with the Na-
tional Academies to provide a comprehensive study that 
reviews current and planned ground-based and space- 
based space weather monitoring requirements and capa-
bilities, identifies gaps, and identifies options for a robust 
and resilient capability. The study shall inform the process 
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of identifying national needs for future space weather 
monitoring, forecasts, and mitigation. The National Acad-
emies shall give consideration to international and private 
sector efforts and collaboration that could potentially con-
tribute to national space weather needs. The study shall 
also review the current state of research capabilities in ob-
serving, modeling, and prediction and provide rec-
ommendations to ensure future advancement of predictive 
capability. 
(b) REPORT
TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 14 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Na-
tional Academies shall transmit a report containing the 
results of the study provided under subsection (a) to the 
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, 
and to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 
Subtitle E—Earth Science 
SEC. 341. GOAL. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Administration is being asked to undertake 
important Earth science activities in an environment of 
increasingly constrained fiscal resources, and that any 
transfer of additional responsibilities to the Administra-
tion, such as climate instrument development and meas-
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urements that are currently part of the portfolio of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, should 
be accompanied by the provision of additional resources 
to allow the Administration to carry out the increased re-
sponsibilities without adversely impacting its implementa-
tion of its existing Earth science programs and priorities. 
(b) GENERAL.—The Administrator shall continue to 
carry out a balanced Earth science program that includes 
Earth science research, Earth systematic missions, com-
petitive Venture class missions, other missions and data 
analysis, mission operations, technology development, and 
applied sciences, consistent with the recommendations and 
priorities established in the National Academies’ Earth 
Science Decadal Survey. 
(c) COLLABORATION.—The Administrator shall col-
laborate with other Federal agencies, including the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, non-gov-
ernment entities, and international partners, as appro-
priate, in carrying out the Administration’s Earth science 
program. The Administration shall continue to develop 
first-of-a-kind instruments that, once proved, can be 
transitioned to other agencies for operations. 
(d) REIMBURSEMENT.—Whenever responsibilities for 
the development of sensors or for measurements are trans-
ferred to the Administration from another agency, the Ad-
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ministration shall seek, to the extent possible, to be reim-
bursed for the assumption of such responsibilities. 
SEC. 342. DECADAL CADENCE. 
In carrying out section 341(b), the Administrator 
shall seek to ensure to the extent practicable a steady ca-
dence of large, medium, and small Earth science missions. 
SEC. 343. VENTURE CLASS MISSIONS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Administration’s 
Venture class missions provide opportunities for innova-
tion in the Earth science program, offer low-cost ap-
proaches for high-quality competitive science investiga-
tions, enable frequent flight opportunities to engage the 
Earth science and applications community, and serve as 
a training ground for students and young scientists. It is 
further the sense of Congress that the Administration 
should seek to increase the number of Venture class 
projects to the extent practicable as part of a balanced 
Earth science program. 
SEC. 344. ASSESSMENT. 
The Administrator shall carry out a scientific assess-
ment of the Administration’s Earth science global datasets 
for the purpose of identifying those datasets that are use-
ful for understanding regional changes and variability, and 
for informing applied science research. The Administrator 
shall complete and transmit the assessment to the Com-
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SEC. 402. AERONAUTICS RESEARCH GOALS. 
The Administrator shall ensure that the Administra-
tion maintains a strong aeronautics research portfolio 
ranging from fundamental research through integrated 
systems research with specific research goals, including 
the following: 
(1) ENHANCE
AIRSPACE
OPERATIONS
AND 
SAFETY.—The Administration’s Aeronautics Re-
search Mission Directorate shall address research 
needs of the Next Generation Air Transportation 
System and identify critical gaps in technology 
which must be bridged to enable the implementation 
of the Next Generation Air Transportation System 
so that safety and productivity improvements can be 
achieved as soon as possible. 
(2) IMPROVE
AIR
VEHICLE
PERFORMANCE.— 
The Administration’s Aeronautics Research Mission 
Directorate shall conduct research to improve air-
craft performance and minimize environmental im-
pacts. The Associate Administrator for the Aero-
nautics Research Mission Directorate shall consider 
and pursue concepts to reduce noise, emissions, and 
fuel consumption while maintaining high safety 
standards, and shall conduct research related to the 
impact of alternative fuels on the safety, reliability 
and maintainability of current and new air vehicles. 
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(3) STRENGTHEN AVIATION SAFETY.—The Ad-
ministration’s Aeronautics Research Mission Direc-
torate shall proactively address safety challenges as-
sociated with current and new air vehicles and with 
operations in the Nation’s current and future air 
transportation system. 
(4) DEMONSTRATE CONCEPTS AT THE SYSTEM 
LEVEL.—The Administration’s Aeronautics Research 
Mission Directorate shall mature the most promising 
technologies to the point at which they can be dem-
onstrated in a relevant environment and shall inte-
grate individual components and technologies as ap-
propriate to ensure that they perform in an inte-
grated manner as well as they do when operated in-
dividually. 
SEC. 403. UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH AND DE-
VELOPMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, in consulta-
tion with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration and other Federal agencies, shall carry out 
research and technological development to facilitate the 
safe integration of unmanned aerial systems into the Na-
tional Airspace System, including— 
(1) positioning and navigation systems; 
(2) sense and avoid capabilities; 
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(3) secure data and communication links; 
(4) flight recovery systems; and 
(5) human systems integration. 
(b) ROADMAP.—The Administrator shall update a 
roadmap for unmanned aerial systems research and devel-
opment and transmit this roadmap to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(c) COOPERATIVE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE AC-
TIVITIES.—Section 31504 of title 51, United States Code, 
is amended by inserting ‘‘Operational flight data derived 
from these cooperative agreements shall be made available, 
in appropriate and usable formats, to the Administration 
and the Federal Aviation Administration for the develop-
ment of regulatory standards.’’ after ‘‘in remote areas.’’. 
SEC. 404. RESEARCH PROGRAM ON COMPOSITE MATERIALS 
USED IN AERONAUTICS. 
(a) PURPOSE
OF RESEARCH.—The Administrator 
shall continue the Administration’s cooperative research 
program with industry to identify and demonstrate more 
effective and safe ways of developing, manufacturing, and 
maintaining composite materials for use in airframes, sub-
systems, and propulsion components. 
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(b) EXPOSURE OF RESEARCH TO NEXT GENERATION 
OF ENGINEERS AND TECHNICIANS.—To the extent prac-
ticable, the Administration’s cooperative research program 
with industry on composite materials shall provide timely 
access to that research to the next generation of engineers 
and technicians at universities, community colleges, and 
vocational schools, thereby helping to develop a workforce 
ready to take on the development, manufacture, and main-
tenance of components reliant on advanced composite ma-
terials. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—The Administrator, in over-
seeing the Administration’s work on composite materials, 
shall consult with relevant Federal agencies and partners 
in industry to accelerate safe development and certifi-
cation processes for new composite materials and design 
methods while maintaining rigorous inspection of new 
composite materials. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit 
a report to the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
detailing the Administration’s work on new composite ma-
terials and the coordination efforts among Federal agen-
cies and industry partners. 
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SEC. 405. HYPERSONIC RESEARCH. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with other 
Federal agencies, shall develop and transmit to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a research and 
development roadmap for hypersonic aircraft research 
with the objective of exploring hypersonic science and 
technology using air-breathing propulsion concepts, 
through a mix of theoretical work, basic and applied re-
search, and development of flight research demonstration 
vehicles. The roadmap shall prescribe appropriate agency 
contributions, coordination efforts, and technology mile-
stones. 
SEC. 406. SUPERSONIC RESEARCH. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) the ability to fly commercial aircraft over 
land at supersonic speeds without adverse impacts 
on the environment or on local communities could 
open new global markets and enable new transpor-
tation capabilities; and 
(2) continuing the Administration’s research 
program is necessary to assess the impact in a rel-
evant environment of commercial supersonic flight 
operations and provide the basis for establishing ap-
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propriate sonic boom standards for such flight oper-
ations. 
(b) ROADMAP
FOR SUPERSONIC RESEARCH.—Not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall develop and transmit to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a roadmap that 
allows for flexible funding profiles for supersonic aero-
nautics research and development with the objective of de-
veloping and demonstrating, in a relevant environment, 
airframe and propulsion technologies to minimize the envi-
ronmental impact, including noise, of supersonic overland 
flight in an efficient and economical manner. The roadmap 
shall include— 
(1) the baseline research as embodied by the 
Administration’s existing research on supersonic 
flight; 
(2) a list of specific technological, environ-
mental, and other challenges that must be overcome 
to minimize the environmental impact, including 
noise, of supersonic overland flight; 
(3) a research plan to address such challenges, 
as well as a project timeline for accomplishing rel-
evant research goals; 
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(4) a plan for coordination with stakeholders, 
including relevant government agencies and indus-
try; and 
(5) a plan for how the Administration will en-
sure that sonic boom research is coordinated as ap-
propriate with relevant Federal agencies. 
SEC. 407. RESEARCH ON NEXTGEN AIRSPACE MANAGE-
MENT CONCEPTS AND TOOLS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall, in con-
sultation with other Federal agencies, review at least an-
nually the alignment and timing of the Administration’s 
research and development activities in support of the 
NextGen airspace management modernization initiative, 
and 
shall 
make 
any 
necessary 
adjustments 
by 
reprioritizing or retargeting the Administration’s research 
and development activities in support of the NextGen ini-
tiative. 
(b) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Administrator shall re-
port to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate an-
nually regarding the progress of the Administration’s re-
search and development activities in support of the 
NextGen airspace management modernization initiative, 
including details of technologies transferred to relevant 
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Federal agencies for eventual operation implementation, 
consultation with other Federal agencies, and any adjust-
ments made to research activities. 
SEC. 408. ROTORCRAFT RESEARCH. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with other 
Federal agencies, shall prepare and transmit to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a roadmap for 
research relating to rotorcraft and other runway-inde-
pendent air vehicles, with the objective of developing and 
demonstrating improved safety, noise, and environmental 
impact in a relevant environment. The roadmap shall in-
clude specific goals for the research, a timeline for imple-
mentation, metrics for success, and guidelines for collabo-
ration and coordination with industry and other Federal 
agencies. 
SEC. 409. TRANSFORMATIVE AERONAUTICS RESEARCH. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Administrator, 
in looking strategically into the future and ensuring that 
the Administration’s Center personnel are at the leading 
edge of aeronautics research, should encourage investiga-
tions into the early-stage advancement of new processes, 
novel concepts, and innovative technologies that have the 
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potential to meet national aeronautics needs. The Admin-
istrator shall continue to ensure that awards for the inves-
tigation of these concepts and technologies are open for 
competition among Administration civil servants at its 
Centers, separate from other awards open only to non-Ad-
ministration sources. 
SEC. 410. STUDY OF UNITED STATES LEADERSHIP IN AERO-
NAUTICS RESEARCH. 
(a) STUDY.—The Administrator shall enter into an 
arrangement with the National Academies for a study to 
benchmark the position of the United States in civil aero-
nautics research compared to the rest of the world. The 
study shall— 
(1) seek to define metrics by which relative 
leadership in civil aeronautics research can be deter-
mined; 
(2) ascertain how the United States compares 
to other countries in the field of civil aeronautics re-
search and any relevant trends; and 
(3) provide recommendations on what can be 
done to regain or retain global leadership, includ-
ing— 
(A) 
identifying 
research 
areas 
where 
United States expertise has been or is at risk 
of being overtaken; 
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(B) defining appropriate roles for the Ad-
ministration; 
(C) identifying public-private partnerships 
that could be formed; and 
(D) estimating the impact on the Adminis-
tration’s budget should such recommendations 
be implemented. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall pro-
vide the results of the study to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate. 
TITLE V—SPACE TECHNOLOGY 
SEC. 501. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that space technology is 
critical to— 
(1) enabling a new class of Administration mis-
sions beyond low-Earth orbit; 
(2) developing technologies and capabilities that 
will make the Administration’s missions more afford-
able and more reliable; and 
(3) improving technological capabilities and pro-
moting innovation for the Administration and the 
Nation. 
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Mission Directorate shall transmit to the Administrator, 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives, and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
analyzing the proposal for a Mars Flyby human 
spaceflight mission to be launched in 2021. Such report 
shall include— 
(1) a technical development, test, fielding, and 
operations plan using the Space Launch System and 
other systems to successfully mount a Mars Flyby 
mission by 2021; 
(2) a description of the benefits in scientific 
knowledge and technologies demonstrated by a Mars 
Flyby mission to be launched in 2021 suitable for 
future Mars missions; and 
(3) an annual budget profile, including cost es-
timates, for the development test, fielding, and oper-
ations plan to carry out a Mars Flyby mission 
through 2021 and comparison of that budget profile 
to the 5-year budget profile contained in the Presi-
dent’s Budget request for fiscal year 2016. 
(c) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 60 days after 
transmittal of the report specified in subsection (b), the 
Administrator shall transmit to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives 
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