SEC. 403. AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS
AND SPACE ACT OF 1958.
(a) TECHNICAL CORRECTION AMENDMENT.—(1) Sec-
tion 214 of the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis-
tration Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1989 is amended by
striking ‘‘(c)’’ both places it appears and inserting in lieu
thereof ‘‘(d)’’.
(2) The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall be
effective as of the date of enactment of the Act referred to
in paragraph (1).
(b) OBJECTIVES.—Section 102(d) of the National Aer-
onautics and Space Act of 1958 (42 U.S.C. 2451(d)) is
amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph
(8);
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (9) and inserting in lieu thereof a semicolon;
and
(3) by adding at the end the following new para-
graphs:
‘‘(10) The economic growth, competitiveness, and
productivity of the Nation through close coordination
with industry in the conduct of innovative aero-
nautics technology validation and technology transfer
programs; and
‘‘(11) The improvement of the safety, capacity,
and efficiency of the United States air transportation
system through close coordination among the agencies
of the Federal Government.’’.
SEC. 404. AERONAUTICAL BASIC RESEARCH INVESTMENT
PLAN.
(a) PLAN.—The Administrator shall develop an aero-
nautical basic research investment plan which—
(1) describes the aeronautical basic research un-
derway within the United States, including a review
of the status of United States basic research in criti-
cal aeronautics disciplines including—
(A) aerodynamics;
(B) propulsion;
(C) materials and structures;
(D) controls, guidance, and human factors;
and
(E) flight systems;
(2) establishes goals and objectives for United
States aeronautical basic research to advance the crit-
ical disciplines required by United States industry
for such research;
(3) identifies the priorities for aeronautical basic
research required by industry to advance United
States long-term competitiveness;
(4) describes the anticipated impact of aero-
nautical basic research on United States long-term
competitiveness;
(5) encourages the transfer of Government-devel-
oped technologies to the private sector to promote eco-
nomic strength and competitiveness; and
(6) identifies opportunities for aeronautical basic
research to be performed by minority-owned and
women-owned businesses within the aeronautical
basic research industry.
The Administrator shall annually update the plan, includ-
ing a report on progress in achieving the goals and objec-
tives identified pursuant to paragraph (2).
(b) INDEPENDENT EVALUATION.—The Administrator
shall submit the plan developed under subsection (a), and
all subsequent annual updates thereto, along with appro-
priate programmatic technical, schedule, and financial in-
formation, to the National Research Council of the National
Academy of Sciences for an independent evaluation of such
plan.
(c) TRANSMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—The Administrator
shall, along with the first annual budget request of the
President occurring more than 1 year after the date of en-
actment of this Act, transmit to the Congress the plan devel-
oped under subsection (a) and the results of the independent
review conducted pursuant to subsection (b). Subsequent
annual updates to the plan and independent reviews thereof
shall be transmitted to the Congress along with subsequent
annual budget requests of the President.
SEC. 405. ROLE OF PROCUREMENT IN TECHNOLOGY IN-
VESTMENT.
The Administrator, in carrying out aeronautical re-
search and technology procurement, shall—
(1) promote the advancement of state-of-the-art
research and technologies;
(2) assess and procure, where appropriate, com-
mercially available technologies;
(3) where appropriate, use performance speci-
fications in procuring technologies; and
(4) reduce the paperwork requirements associated
with procurement.
SEC. 406. AERONAUTICAL TEST FACILITIES INITIATIVE.
(a) STRATEGY.—The President shall establish a strat-
egy to coordinate with domestic aeronautical companies to
establish the requirements of such companies and the Fed-
eral Government for aeronautical test facilities. The strat-
egy shall—
(1) define the capabilities of aeronautical test fa-
cilities required by domestic aeronautical companies
and the Federal Government over the next 30 years;
(2) assess the impact to United States competi-
tiveness over the next 30 years resulting from the use
of a combination of domestic and foreign aeronautical
test facilities by domestic companies; and
(3) identify a funding method for procuring new
aeronautical test facilities which includes cost sharing
and risk sharing with domestic aeronautical compa-
nies, and which uses innovative financing schemes for
the construction and operation of such new facilities.
(b) TRANSMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—The strategy estab-
lished under subsection (a), along with anticipated budget
requirements over the next 10 years associated with imple-
menting the strategy, shall be transmitted to the Congress
no later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this
Act.
SEC. 407. JOINT AERONAUTICAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT PROGRAM.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator and the
heads of other appropriate Federal agencies shall jointly es-
tablish a program for the purpose of conducting research
on aeronautical technologies that enhance United States
competitiveness. Such program shall include—
(1) research on next-generation wind tunnel and
advanced wind tunnel instrumentation technology;
(2) research on advanced engine materials, en-
gine concepts, and testing of propulsion systems or
components of the high-speed civil transport research
program;
(3) advanced general aviation research;
(4) advanced rotorcraft research; and
(5) advanced hypersonic aeronautical research.
(b) CONTRACTS AND GRANTS.—Contracts and grants
entered into under the program established under subsection
(a) shall be administered using procedures developed jointly
by the Administrator and the heads of the other Federal
agencies involved in the program. These procedures should
include an integrated acquisition policy for contract and
grant requirements and for technical data rights that are
not an impediment to joint programs among the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, the other Federal
agencies involved in the program, and industry.
(c) ELEMENTS
OF PROGRAM.—The program estab-
lished under subsection (a) shall include—
(1) selected programs that jointly enhance public
and private aeronautical technology development;
(2) an opportunity for private contractors to be
involved in such technology research and development;
and
(3) the transfer of Government-developed tech-
nologies to the private sector to promote economic
strength and competitiveness.
SEC. 408. HYPERSONIC RESEARCH INITIATIVE.
The Administrator shall conduct a study, through an
organization not a part of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, of strategies that would optimize the
Hypersonic System Technology Program by integrating
with the rocket-based hypersonic fight test experiments the
necessary development program which would achieve a sin-
gle-stage hypersonic research vehicle capable of Mach 15 or
greater, in the shortest possible time frame. The objective
of a program developed under the strategies identified
through such study would be the development of a single
stage to orbit air breathing aircraft. The Administrator
shall report the results of the study to Congress no later
than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act.
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