I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5781 
To authorize the programs of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 20, 2010 
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. HALL of Texas, Ms. GIFFORDS, 
and Mr. OLSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science and Technology 
A BILL 
To authorize the programs of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘National Aeronautics and Space Administration Author-
ization Act of 2010’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
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TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 
Sec. 101. Fiscal year 2011. 
Sec. 102. Fiscal year 2012. 
Sec. 103. Fiscal year 2013. 
Sec. 104. Fiscal year 2014. 
Sec. 105. Fiscal year 2015. 
TITLE II—HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT 
Subtitle A—Exploration 
Sec. 201. Reaffirmation of exploration policy. 
Sec. 202. Restructured Exploration program. 
Sec. 203. Space radiation. 
Subtitle B—International Space Station 
Sec. 211. Extension of ISS operations. 
Sec. 212. ISS research management institution. 
Sec. 213. ISS research management plan. 
Sec. 214. Outreach plan for United States ISS research. 
Sec. 215. ISS cargo resupply requirements and contingency capacity through 
2020. 
Sec. 216. Centrifuge. 
Sec. 217. Exploration technology development using the ISS. 
Sec. 218. Fundamental space life science and physical sciences and related 
technology research. 
Subtitle C—Space Shuttle 
Sec. 221. Expanded scope of Space Shuttle Transition Liaison Office. 
Sec. 222. Post-Shuttle workforce transition initiative grant program. 
Sec. 223. Disposition of orbiter vehicles. 
Subtitle D—Space and Flight Support 
Sec. 231. 21st Century Space Launch Complex Initiative. 
Subtitle E—Commercial Crew Transportation 
Sec. 241. Affirmation of policy. 
Sec. 242. Commercial crew and related commercial space initiatives. 
Sec. 243. Federal assistance for the development of commercial orbital human 
space transportation services. 
TITLE III—SCIENCE 
Subtitle A—Earth Science 
Sec. 301. Earth science applications. 
Sec. 302. Essential space-based Earth science and climate measurements. 
Sec. 303. Commercial remote sensing data purchases pilot project. 
Subtitle B—Space Science 
Sec. 311. Suborbital programs. 
Sec. 312. Explorer program. 
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Sec. 313. Radioisotope thermoelectric generator material requirements and sup-
ply. 
TITLE IV—AERONAUTICS 
Sec. 401. Environmentally friendly aircraft research and development initiative. 
Sec. 402. Research on NextGen airspace management concepts and tools. 
Sec. 403. Research on aircraft cabin air quality. 
Sec. 404. Research on on-board volcanic ash sensor systems. 
Sec. 405. Aeronautics test facilities. 
Sec. 406. Expanded research program on composite materials used in aero-
space. 
TITLE V—SPACE TECHNOLOGY 
Sec. 501. Space technology program. 
TITLE VI—EDUCATION AND OUTREACH 
Sec. 601. STEM education and training. 
Sec. 602. Assessment of impediments to space science and engineering work-
force development for minority and underrepresented groups at 
NASA. 
Sec. 603. Independent review of the National Space Grant College and Fellow-
ship Program. 
TITLE VII—INSTITUTIONAL CAPABILITIES REVITALIZATION 
Sec. 701. Institutional management. 
Sec. 702. James E. Webb Cooperative Education Distinguished Scholar Pro-
gram. 
TITLE VIII—ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT 
Sec. 801. Prohibition on expenditure of funds when 30 percent threshold is ex-
ceeded. 
Sec. 802. Project and program reserves. 
Sec. 803. Independent reviews. 
Sec. 804. Avoiding organizational conflicts of interest in major NASA acquisi-
tion programs. 
Sec. 805. Report to Congress. 
TITLE IX—OTHER PROVISIONS 
Sec. 901. Cloud computing. 
Sec. 902. Review of practices to detect and prevent the use of counterfeit parts. 
Sec. 903. Preservation and management of lunar sites. 
Sec. 904. Continuity of moderate resolution land imaging remote sensing data. 
Sec. 905. Space weather. 
Sec. 906. Use of operational commercial suborbital vehicles for research, devel-
opment, and education. 
Sec. 907. Study on export control matters related to United States astronaut 
safety and NASA mission operations. 
Sec. 908. Amendment to the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958. 
Sec. 909. Near-Earth objects. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) NASA is and should remain a multimission 
agency with a balanced and robust set of core mis-
sions in science, aeronautics, and human space flight 
and exploration. 
(2) NASA’s programs have the potential to in-
spire our youth to pursue studies and careers in 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, 
and the agency should carry out its activities in a 
manner that enhances the educational and outreach 
potential of its programs. 
(3) NASA should begin to reinvest in sustained 
fashion in a long-term space technology research and 
development activity. Such investments are an im-
portant catalyst for innovation, and they represent 
the critically important ‘‘seed corn’’ on which 
NASA’s ability to carry out challenging and produc-
tive missions in the future will depend. 
(4) The Space Shuttle workforce, both civil 
servants and contractors, encompasses skills and ex-
perience that will be needed in the Nation’s future 
human space flight activities, and the transition of 
that workforce to a challenging human space flight 
and exploration program needs to be carried out in 
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as expeditious and nondisruptive a manner as pos-
sible. 
(5) Human and robotic exploration of the solar 
system will be a significant undertaking of humanity 
in the 21st century and beyond, and it is in the na-
tional interest that the United States should assume 
a leadership role in a cooperative international explo-
ration initiative. Continuity of exploration goals is 
critical if progress is to be maximized and costly in-
efficiencies are to be minimized. 
(6) Commercial activities have long contributed 
to the vitality and strength of the Nation’s space 
and aeronautics programs, and the growth of a 
healthy, self-sustaining United States commercial 
space and aeronautics sector should continue to be 
encouraged. 
(7) Congress agrees with the finding of the Re-
view of United States Human Spaceflight Plans 
Committee that: ‘‘While there are many potential 
benefits of commercial services that transport crew 
to low-Earth orbit, there are simply too many risks 
at the present time not to have a viable fallback op-
tion for risk mitigation.’’. 
(8) It is in the national interest for the United 
States Government to develop a government system 
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to serve as an independent means—whether primary 
or backup—of crewed access to low-Earth orbit and 
beyond so that it is not dependent on either non- 
United States or commercial systems for its crewed 
access to space. 
(9) Development of the next crewed space 
transportation system to low-Earth orbit should be 
guided by the Columbia Accident Investigation 
Board’s recommendation that ‘‘the design of the sys-
tem should give overriding priority to crew safety, 
rather than trade safety against other performance 
criteria, such as low cost and reusability’’. 
(10) In an environment of constrained budgets, 
responsible stewardship of taxpayer-provided re-
sources makes it imperative that NASA’s exploration 
program be carried out in a manner that builds on 
the investments made to date in the Orion, Ares I, 
and heavy lift projects and other activities of the ex-
ploration program in existence prior to fiscal year 
2011 rather than discarding them. A restructured 
exploration program should pursue the incremental 
development and demonstration of crewed and 
heavy-lift transportation systems in a manner that 
ensures that investments to provide assured access 
to low-Earth orbit also directly support the expedi-
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tious development of the heavy lift launch vehicle 
system, minimize the looming human space flight 
‘‘gap’’, provide a very high level of crew safety, and 
enable challenging missions beyond low-Earth orbit 
in a timely manner. 
(11) 
NASA’s 
programs 
in 
astrophysics, 
heliophysics, planetary science, and Earth science 
and climate research have greatly increased our un-
derstanding of both our home planet and the rest of 
the universe, and they have also provided numerous 
benefits to our society. 
(12) NASA’s aeronautics program is under-
taking research and development that benefits our 
economic development and competitiveness, enhances 
our quality of life and enables environmentally re-
sponsible aviation operations, and strengthens our 
national defense. 
(13) The ISS provides a unique research envi-
ronment and capabilities for basic and applied re-
search, as well as having the potential to serve as a 
testbed for human space flight technologies and 
operational concepts. It is critically important that 
NASA make needed investments to promote produc-
tive ISS utilization, including a meaningful program 
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of grants in the life and physical sciences micro-
gravity research disciplines. 
(14) It is in the national interest for the United 
States to have an export control policy that protects 
the national security while also enabling the United 
States aerospace industry to compete effectively in 
the global marketplace and the United States to un-
dertake cooperative programs in science and human 
space flight in an effective manner. 
(15) A strong, robust NASA program is in the 
national interest. Ensuring that it can continue to 
pursue cutting-edge space and aeronautical research 
and development activities and push back the fron-
tier of space exploration requires a sustained and 
adequate 
commitment 
in 
resources. 
However, 
NASA’s share of the Federal discretionary budg-
etary authority has declined significantly relative to 
its post-Apollo historical average share of 2.07 per-
cent. It should be a national goal to restore NASA’s 
funding share to its post-Apollo historical average. 
(16) NASA should be vigilant in taking all nec-
essary steps to control cost and schedule growth in 
mission projects, including the development of an in-
tegrated cost containment strategy, and adopt meas-
ures that improve the performance and transparency 
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of its cost and acquisition management practices. 
NASA should approach cost and schedule manage-
ment with the same level of innovation, rigor, and 
technical excellence that it applies to the execution 
of its mission projects. 
(17) NASA has been inconsistent in its treat-
ment of termination liability costs for contracts 
issued by different mission directorates and across 
various agency programs relative to historical prac-
tice. This inconsistency has hampered NASA’s abil-
ity to effectively execute its Exploration programs. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of NASA. 
(2) ISS.—The term ‘‘ISS’’ means the Inter-
national Space Station. 
(3) NASA.—The term ‘‘NASA’’ means the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
(4) NOAA.—The term ‘‘NOAA’’ means the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
(5) OSTP.—The term ‘‘OSTP’’ means the Of-
fice of Science and Technology Policy. 
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TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF 
APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 101. FISCAL YEAR 2011. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Ad-
ministrator for fiscal year 2011 $19,000,000,000, to be 
allocated as follows: 
(1) For Science, $5,015,700,000, of which— 
(A) $1,801,800,000 shall be for Earth 
Science; 
(B) $1,485,700,000 shall be for Planetary 
Science; 
(C) $1,076,300,000 shall be for Astro-
physics; 
(D) 
$646,900,000 
shall 
be 
for 
Heliophysics, of which $5,000,000 shall be an 
augmentation to the Explorers program; and 
(E) $5,000,000 shall be an augmentation 
to the total amount provided under subpara-
graphs (C) and (D) for Astrophysics and 
Heliophysics in order to augment the funding 
for the Science Mission Directorate’s suborbital 
research programs, to be allocated between the 
Astrophysics and Heliophysics suborbital pro-
grams at the Administrator’s discretion. 
(2) For Aeronautics, $579,600,000. 
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(3) For Space Technology, $572,200,000, of 
which $1,000,000 shall be for the Commercial Reus-
able Suborbital Research project for defining user 
requirements and identifying, assessing, and charac-
terizing commercial reusable suborbital vehicle capa-
bilities and risks for use as potential research and 
development platforms. 
(4) 
For 
Exploration, 
$4,535,300,000 
of 
which— 
(A) $215,000,000 shall be for Human Re-
search; 
(B) $14,000,000 shall be for the Commer-
cial Orbital Transportation System demonstra-
tion program; 
(C) $50,000,000 shall be for commercial 
crew transportation-related activities; 
(D) $4,156,300,000 shall be for the re-
structured exploration program described in 
section 202; and 
(E) $100,000,000 shall be for the loan and 
loan guarantee program described in section 
243. 
(5) For Space Operations, $4,594,300,000, of 
which— 
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(A) $989,100,000 shall be for the Space 
Shuttle program; 
(B) $2,804,800,000 shall be for the ISS, 
of which $75,000,000 shall be for fundamental 
space life science and physical sciences and re-
lated technology research using ground-based, 
free-flyer, and ISS facilities, including ISS Na-
tional Laboratory research; 
(C) $60,000,000 shall be for the Post- 
Shuttle Workforce Transition Initiative grant 
program described in section 222; and 
(D) $740,400,000 shall be for Space and 
Flight Support, of which $50,000,000 shall be 
for the 21st Century Launch Complex Initia-
tive. 
(6) For Education, $145,800,000. 
(7) For Cross-Agency Support Programs, 
$3,111,400,000. 
(8) For Construction and Environmental Com-
pliance and Restoration, $407,300,000, of which 
$10,000,000 is an augmentation to the President’s 
requested funding level in order to support the 
NASA laboratory revitalization initiative described in 
section 701. 
(9) For Inspector General, $38,400,000. 
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SEC. 102. FISCAL YEAR 2012. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Ad-
ministrator for fiscal year 2012 $19,450,000,000, to be 
allocated as follows: 
(1) For Science, $5,278,600,000 of which— 
(A) $1,944,500,000 shall be for Earth 
Science; 
(B) $1,547,200,000 shall be for Planetary 
Science; 
(C) $1,109,300,000 shall be for Astro-
physics; 
(D) 
$672,600,000 
shall 
be 
for 
Heliophysics, of which $25,000,000 shall be an 
augmentation to the Explorers program; and 
(E) $5,000,000 shall be an augmentation 
to the total amount provided under subpara-
graphs (C) and (D) for Astrophysics and 
Heliophysics in order to augment the funding 
for the Science Mission Directorate’s suborbital 
research programs, to be allocated between the 
Astrophysics and Heliophysics suborbital pro-
grams at the Administrator’s discretion. 
(2) For Aeronautics, $598,700,000, of which 
$78,900,000 shall be for the Aviation Safety Pro-
gram, $80,400,000 shall be for the Aeronautics Test 
Program, $83,900,000 shall be for the Airspace Sys-
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tems Program, $233,500,000 shall be for Funda-
mental Aeronautics, and $122,000,000 shall be for 
Integrated Systems Research. 
(3) For Space Technology, $1,012,200,000, of 
which $1,000,000 shall be for the Commercial Reus-
able Suborbital Research project. 
(4) 
For 
Exploration, 
$4,881,800,000 
of 
which— 
(A) $215,000,000 shall be for Human Re-
search; 
(B) $50,000,000 shall be for commercial 
crew transportation-related activities; 
(C) $4,516,800,000 shall be for the re-
structured exploration program described in 
section 202; and 
(D) $100,000,000 shall be for the loan and 
loan guarantee program described in section 
243. 
(5) For Space Operations, $3,930,300,000, of 
which— 
(A) $86,100,000 shall be for the Space 
Shuttle program; 
(B) $3,033,600,000 shall be for the ISS, 
of which $100,000,000 shall be for fundamental 
space life science and physical sciences and re-
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lated technology research using ground-based, 
free-flyer, and ISS facilities, including ISS Na-
tional Laboratory research; 
(C) $40,000,000 shall be for the Post- 
Shuttle Workforce Transition Initiative grant 
program described in section 222; and 
(D) $770,600,000 shall be for Space and 
Flight Support, of which $50,000,000 shall be 
for the 21st Century Launch Complex Initia-
tive. 
(6) For Education, $145,800,000. 
(7) For Cross-Agency Support Programs, 
$3,189,600,000. 
(8) For Construction and Environmental Com-
pliance and Restoration, $373,800,000, of which 
$10,000,000 is an augmentation to the President’s 
requested level in order to support the NASA labora-
tory revitalization initiative described in section 701. 
(9) For Inspector General, $39,200,000. 
SEC. 103. FISCAL YEAR 2013. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Ad-
ministrator for fiscal year 2013 $19,960,000,000, to be 
allocated as follows: 
(1) For Science, $5,569,500,000, of which— 
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(A) $2,089,500,000 shall be for Earth 
Science; 
(B) $1,591,200,000 shall be for Planetary 
Science; 
(C) $1,149,100,000 shall be for Astro-
physics; 
(D) 
$734,700,000 
shall 
be 
for 
Heliophysics, of which $55,000,000 shall be an 
augmentation to the Explorers program; and 
(E) $5,000,000 shall be an augmentation 
to the total amount provided under subpara-
graphs (C) and (D) for Astrophysics and 
Heliophysics in order to augment the funding 
for the Science Mission Directorate’s suborbital 
research programs, to be allocated between the 
Astrophysics and Heliophysics suborbital pro-
grams at the Administrator’s discretion. 
(2) For Aeronautics, $609,400,000, of which 
$81,200,000 shall be for the Aviation Safety Pro-
gram, $79,600,000 shall be for the Aeronautics Test 
Program, $87,300,000 shall be for the Airspace Sys-
tems Program, $239,000,000 shall be for Funda-
mental Aeronautics, and $122,300,000 shall be for 
Integrated Systems Research. 
(3) For Space Technology, $1,059,700,000. 
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(4) 
For 
Exploration, 
$4,888,500,000 
of 
which— 
(A) $215,000,000 shall be for Human Re-
search; 
(B) $5,000,000, shall be for the Explo-
ration Technology and Demonstration program; 
(C) $5,000,000 shall be for the Explo-
ration Precursor Robotic Missions program; 
(D) $50,000,000 shall be for commercial 
crew transportation-related activities; 
(E) $4,513,500,000 shall be for the re-
structured exploration program described in 
section 202; and 
(F) $100,000,000 shall be for the loan and 
loan guarantee program described in section 
243. 
(5) For Space Operations, $3,993,300,000, of 
which— 
(A) $3,179,400,000 shall be for the ISS, 
of which $100,000,000 shall be for fundamental 
space life science and physical sciences and re-
lated technology research using ground-based, 
free-flyer, and ISS facilities, including ISS Na-
tional Laboratory research; 
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(B) $40,000,000 shall be for the Post- 
Shuttle Workforce Transition Initiative grant 
program described in section 222; and 
(C) $773,900,000 shall be for Space and 
Flight Support, of which $50,000,000 shall be 
for the 21st Century Launch Complex Initia-
tive. 
(6) For Education, $145,800,000. 
(7) For Cross-Agency Support Programs, 
$3,276,800,000. 
(8) For Construction and Environmental Com-
pliance and Restoration, $376,900,000, of which 
$10,000,000 is an augmentation to the President’s 
requested funding level in order to support the 
NASA laboratory revitalization initiative described in 
section 701. 
(9) For Inspector General, $40,100,000. 
SEC. 104. FISCAL YEAR 2014. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Ad-
ministrator for fiscal year 2014 $20,600,000,000, to be 
allocated as follows: 
(1) For Science, $5,794,800,000, of which— 
(A) $2,216,600,000 shall be for Earth 
Science; 
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(B) $1,635,100,000 shall be for Planetary 
Science; 
(C) $1,158,700,000 shall be for Astro-
physics; 
(D) 
$779,400,000 
shall 
be 
for 
Heliophysics, of which $75,000,000 shall be an 
augmentation to the Explorers program; and 
(E) $5,000,000 shall be an augmentation 
to the total amount provided under subpara-
graphs (C) and (D) for Astrophysics and 
Heliophysics in order to augment the funding 
for the Science Mission Directorate’s suborbital 
research programs, to be allocated between the 
Astrophysics and Heliophysics suborbital pro-
grams at the Administrator’s discretion. 
(2) For Aeronautics, $615,100,000, of which 
$81,900,000 shall be for the Aviation Safety Pro-
gram, $81,400,000 shall be for the Aeronautics Test 
Program, $88,300,000 shall be for the Airspace Sys-
tems Program, $246,000,000 shall be for Funda-
mental Aeronautics, and $117,500,000 shall be for 
Integrated Systems Research. 
(3) For Space Technology, $1,063,900,000. 
(4) 
For 
Exploration, 
$5,106,800,000 
of 
which— 
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(A) $215,000,000 shall be for Human Re-
search; 
(B) $10,000,000 shall be for the Explo-
ration Technology and Demonstration program; 
(C) $10,000,000 shall be for the Explo-
ration Precursor Robotic Missions program; 
(D) $50,000,000 shall be for commercial 
crew transportation-related activities; 
(E) $4,721,800,000 shall be for the re-
structured exploration program described in 
section 202; and 
(F) $100,000,000 shall be for the loan and 
loan guarantee program described in section 
243. 
(5) For Space Operations, $4,062,600,000, of 
which— 
(A) $3,271,900,000 shall be for the ISS, 
of which $125,000,000 shall be for fundamental 
space life science and physical sciences and re-
lated technology research using ground-based, 
free-flyer, and ISS facilities, including ISS Na-
tional Laboratory research; and 
(B) $790,700,000 shall be for Space and 
Flight Support, of which $50,000,000 shall be 
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for the 21st Century Launch Complex Initia-
tive. 
(6) For Education, $145,800,000. 
(7) For Cross-Agency Support Programs, 
$3,366,500,000. 
(8) For Construction and Environmental Com-
pliance and Restoration, $403,500,000, of which 
$10,000,000 is an augmentation to the President’s 
requested funding level in order to support the 
NASA laboratory revitalization initiative described in 
section 701. 
(9) For Inspector General, $41,000,000. 
SEC. 105. FISCAL YEAR 2015. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Ad-
ministrator for fiscal year 2015 $20,990,000,000, to be 
allocated as follows: 
(1) For Science, $5,899,000,000 of which— 
(A) $2,282,200,000 shall be for Earth 
Science; 
(B) $1,654,400,000 shall be for Planetary 
Science; 
(C) $1,131,600,000 shall be for Astro-
physics; 
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(D) 
$825,800,000 
shall 
be 
for 
Heliophysics, of which $75,000,000 shall be an 
augmentation to the Explorers program; and 
(E) $5,000,000 shall be an augmentation 
to the total amount provided under subpara-
graphs (C) and (D) for Astrophysics and 
Heliophysics in order to augment the funding 
for the Science Mission Directorate’s suborbital 
research programs, to be allocated between the 
Astrophysics and Heliophysics suborbital pro-
grams at the Administrator’s discretion. 
(2) For Aeronautics, $625,300,000, of which 
$82,700,000 shall be for the Aviation Safety Pro-
gram, $82,200,000 shall be for the Aeronautics Test 
Program, $91,400,000 shall be for the Airspace Sys-
tems Program, $250,000,000 shall be for Funda-
mental Aeronautics, and $119,000,000 shall be for 
Integrated Systems Research. 
(3) For Space Technology, $1,217,900,000. 
(4) 
For 
Exploration, 
$5,157,900,000 
of 
which— 
(A) $215,000,000 shall be for Human Re-
search; 
(B) $30,000,000 shall be for the Explo-
ration Technology and Demonstration program; 
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(C) $30,000,000 shall be for the Explo-
ration Precursor Robotic Missions program; 
(D) $50,000,000 shall be for commercial 
crew transportation-related activities; 
(E) $4,732,900,000 shall be for the re-
structured exploration program described in 
section 202; and 
(F) $100,000,000 shall be for the loan and 
loan guarantee program described in section 
243. 
(5) For Space Operations, $4,030,500,000, of 
which— 
(A) $3,232,800,000 shall be for the ISS, 
of which $125,000,000 shall be for fundamental 
space life science and physical sciences and re-
lated technology research using ground-based, 
free-flyer, and ISS facilities, including ISS Na-
tional Laboratory research; and 
(B) $797,700,000 shall be for Space and 
Flight Support, of which $50,000,000 shall be 
for the 21st Century Launch Complex Initia-
tive. 
(6) For Education, $146,800,000. 
(7) For Cross-Agency Support Programs, 
$3,462,200,000. 
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(8) For Construction and Environmental Com-
pliance and Restoration, $408,500,000, of which 
$10,000,000 is an augmentation to the President’s 
requested funding level in order to support the 
NASA laboratory revitalization initiative described in 
section 701. 
(9) For Inspector General, $41,900,000. 
TITLE II—HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT 
Subtitle A—Exploration 
SEC. 201. REAFFIRMATION OF EXPLORATION POLICY. 
Congress reaffirms its support for the exploration 
policy set forth in sections 401 and 402 of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act 
of 2008 (Public Law 110–422; 122 Stat. 4788–4789). 
SEC. 202. RESTRUCTURED EXPLORATION PROGRAM. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
develop a plan to restructure the exploration program in 
existence prior to fiscal year 2011 in order to develop and 
demonstrate in an integrated manner and as expeditiously 
and efficiently as practicable a governmentally owned crew 
transportation system and heavy lift transportation sys-
tem that satisfies the following requirements: 
(1) The plan shall make maximum practicable 
use of the design, development, and test work com-
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pleted to date on the Orion crew exploration vehicle, 
Ares I crew launch vehicle, heavy lift launch vehicle 
system, and associated ground support and explo-
ration enabling systems and take best advantage of 
investments and contracts implemented to date. 
(2) The performance capabilities of the crew 
transportation system shall be phased in a manner 
that is consistent with available and anticipated re-
sources, with the initial operational goal of having 
the crew transportation system developed under this 
section available to assure crewed access to low- 
Earth orbit and the ISS no later than December 31, 
2015, in order to minimize the duration of the 
United States human space flight gap following the 
retirement of the Space Shuttle fleet. If one or more 
United States commercial entities are certified to 
provide ISS crew transportation and rescue services, 
the crew transportation system developed under this 
section shall be available as a backup ISS crew 
transportation and rescue service as needed but shall 
not be utilized as the primary means of ISS crew 
transportation and rescue or otherwise compete with 
the commercial system for ISS crew transportation 
and rescue services. 
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(3) The crewed spacecraft element of the crew 
transportation system shall be evolvable on a contin-
uous development path to support— 
(A) ISS crew transportation and rescue ca-
pability; 
(B) non-ISS missions to, from, and in low- 
Earth orbit; and 
(C) human missions beyond low-Earth 
orbit. 
(4) The crew transportation system shall be 
able to serve as a testbed for demonstrating oper-
ations concepts for exploration missions beyond low- 
Earth orbit, as well as for demonstrating tech-
nologies and carrying out risk reduction for the 
heavy lift launch vehicle development program. 
(5) The crew transportation system shall have 
predicted levels of safety during ascent to low-Earth 
orbit, transit, and descent from low-Earth orbit that 
are not less than those required of the Ares I/Orion 
configuration that has completed program prelimi-
nary design review. 
(6) In order to make the most cost-effective use 
of the funds available for the restructured explo-
ration program, the Administrator shall pursue the 
expeditious and cost-efficient development of a heavy 
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lift launch system that utilizes the systems and 
flight and ground test activities of the crew trans-
portation system developed under this section to the 
maximum extent practicable. In developing the heavy 
lift launch vehicle— 
(A) the heavy lift launch vehicle shall be 
sized to enable challenging missions beyond low- 
Earth orbit and evolvable on a continuous de-
velopment path to enable the efficient and cost- 
effective conduct of crewed missions to the full 
range of destinations envisioned in the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration Author-
ization Act of 2008, namely Lagrangian points, 
the Moon, near-Earth objects, and Mars and its 
moons; 
(B) not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall carry out a review of the heavy lift launch 
vehicle requirements needed to support crewed 
missions to the full range of destinations envi-
sioned in the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration Authorization Act of 2008, and 
shall select an exploration launch vehicle archi-
tecture to meet those requirements; 
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(C) the development of the heavy lift 
launch vehicle authorized in this paragraph 
shall be completed as expeditiously as possible 
within available resources and shall take max-
imum benefit from the prior investments made 
in the Orion, Ares I, and heavy lift projects and 
from investments made in the restructured pro-
gram on the development, demonstration, and 
test of the crew transportation system; and 
(D) the Administrator shall strive to meet 
the goal of having the heavy lift launch vehicle 
authorized in this paragraph available for oper-
ational missions by the end of the current dec-
ade. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION
OF
RESTRUCTURED
PRO-
GRAM.—The restructured exploration program shall be 
implemented in a manner that— 
(1) facilitates the planned transition of Space 
Shuttle program personnel to the restructured explo-
ration program upon the retirement of the Space 
Shuttle fleet, while providing for cost effective man-
agement and vehicle development; 
(2) provides for a robust flight and ground test 
and demonstration program; 
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(3) streamlines program management processes 
to the maximum extent practicable while ensuring 
that the Government’s ability to meet its responsibil-
ities for cost discipline, safety, and mission assur-
ance is maintained; 
(4) working with industry, eliminates unneces-
sary NASA and industry institutional infrastructure, 
other fixed costs, processes, and oversight, reducing 
exploration program fixed costs to the extent prac-
ticable and maximizing the program’s affordability; 
(5) incentivizes, through innovative manage-
ment practices, NASA program and project man-
agers and industry counterparts to establish and 
maintain realistic cost and schedule estimates, and 
take necessary steps to avoid cost and schedule 
growth; 
(6) seeks to minimize to the extent practicable 
the operating costs of the crew transportation sys-
tem developed under the restructured exploration 
program; 
(7) enables the restructured exploration pro-
gram to undertake in an incremental fashion in-
creasingly challenging uncrewed and crewed dem-
onstration flights in and beyond low-Earth orbit; 
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(8) allows the systems developed under the re-
structured exploration program to serve as potential 
testbeds for the demonstration of key enabling explo-
ration technologies and operational capabilities; and 
(9) prepares for and enables human missions to 
a variety of destinations in the inner solar system, 
including cislunar space, the Moon, Lagrangian 
points, near-Earth objects, and ultimately Mars and 
its moons. 
(c) SUPPORT SYSTEMS.—The restructured explo-
ration program shall continue work on ground systems 
and other exploration-enabling technologies and capabili-
ties needed to support the exploration program as expedi-
tiously as possible within available resources. 
(d) INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION.—The Admin-
istrator shall explore potential international collaborations 
that would enable more ambitious exploration missions in 
a timely manner and within available resources than would 
otherwise be possible, such as human lunar landings or 
the incremental establishment of a lunar research outpost. 
SEC. 203. SPACE RADIATION. 
(a) STRATEGY.—The Administrator shall develop a 
space radiation mitigation and management strategy and 
implementation plan that includes key milestones, a time-
table, and estimation of budget requirements. The strat-
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egy shall include a mechanism to coordinate NASA re-
search, technology, facilities, engineering, operations, and 
other functions required to support the strategy and plan. 
The Administrator shall transmit the strategy and plan 
to the Congress not later than 12 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
(b) SPACE RADIATION RESEARCH FACILITIES.—The 
Administrator, in consultation with the heads of other ap-
propriate Federal agencies, shall assess the national capa-
bilities for carrying out critical ground-based research on 
space radiation biology, and shall identify any issues that 
could affect the ability to carry out that research. 
(c) RESEARCH ON SOLAR PARTICLE EVENTS.—The 
Administrator shall carry out research on solar particle 
events to improve the predictions and forecasts of solar 
particle events that could affect human missions beyond 
low-Earth orbit. 
Subtitle B—International Space 
Station 
SEC. 211. EXTENSION OF ISS OPERATIONS. 
The Administrator shall, in consultation with the ISS 
partners, take all necessary measures to support the oper-
ation and full utilization of the International Space Sta-
tion through at least the year 2020, if it can continue to 
be operated safely over that period. The Administrator 
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