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oped under section 70504 of title 51, United States 
Code; 
(3) cost estimates for operating the Inter-
national Space Station to achieve the criteria re-
quired under paragraph (1); 
(4) cost estimates for extending operations to 
2024 and 2030; 
(5) an assessment of how the defined criteria 
under paragraph (1) respond to the National Acad-
emies Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical 
Sciences in Space; and 
(6) an identification of the actions and cost es-
timate needed to deorbit the International Space 
Station once a decision is made to deorbit the lab-
oratory. 
(g) STRATEGIC PLAN FOR INTERNATIONAL SPACE 
STATION RESEARCH.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with 
the Administrator, academia, other Federal agencies, 
the International Space Station National Laboratory 
Advisory Committee, and other potential stake-
holders, shall develop and transmit to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
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Science, and Transportation of the Senate a stra-
tegic plan for conducting competitive, peer-reviewed 
research in physical and life sciences and related 
technologies on the International Space Station 
through at least 2020. 
(2) PLAN REQUIREMENTS.—The strategic plan 
shall— 
(A) be consistent with the priorities and 
recommendations established by the National 
Academies in its Decadal Survey on Biological 
and Physical Sciences in Space; 
(B) provide a research timeline and iden-
tify resource requirements for its implementa-
tion, including the facilities and instrumenta-
tion necessary for the conduct of such research; 
and 
(C) identify— 
(i) criteria for the proposed research, 
including— 
(I) a justification for the research 
to be carried out in the space micro-
gravity environment; 
(II) the use of model systems; 
(III) the testing of flight hard-
ware to understand and ensure its 
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functioning in the microgravity envi-
ronment; 
(IV) the use of controls to help 
distinguish among the direct and indi-
rect effects of microgravity, among 
other effects of the flight or space en-
vironment; 
(V) approaches for facilitating 
data collection, analysis, and interpre-
tation; 
(VI) procedures to ensure repeti-
tion of experiments, as needed; 
(VII) support for timely presen-
tation of the peer-reviewed results of 
the research; 
(VIII) defined metrics for the 
success of each study; and 
(IX) how these activities enable 
the Human Exploration Roadmap de-
scribed in section 70504 of title 51, 
United States Code; 
(ii) instrumentation required to sup-
port the measurements and analysis of the 
research to be carried out under the stra-
tegic plan; 
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(iii) the capabilities needed to support 
direct, real-time communications between 
astronauts working on research experi-
ments onboard the International Space 
Station and the principal investigator on 
the ground; 
(iv) a process for involving the exter-
nal user community in research planning, 
including planning for relevant flight hard-
ware and instrumentation, and for utiliza-
tion of the International Space Station, 
free flyers, or other research platforms; 
(v) the acquisition strategy the Ad-
ministration plans to use to acquire any 
new support capabilities which are not 
operational on the International Space Sta-
tion as of the date of enactment of this 
Act, and the criteria the Administration 
will apply if less than full and open com-
petition is selected; and 
(vi) defined metrics for success of the 
research plan. 
(3) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
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Comptroller General of the United States shall 
transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate a report on 
the progress of the organization chosen for the 
management of the International Space Station 
National Laboratory as directed in section 504 
of the National Aeronautics and Space Admin-
istration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 
18354). 
(B) SPECIFIC
REQUIREMENTS.—The re-
port shall assess the management, organization, 
and performance of such organization and shall 
include a review of the status of each of the 7 
required activities listed in section 504(c) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 18354(c)). 
SEC. 212. BARRIERS IMPEDING ENHANCED UTILIZATION OF 
THE ISS’S NATIONAL LABORATORY BY COM-
MERCIAL COMPANIES. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) enhanced utilization of the International 
Space Station’s National Laboratory requires a full 
understanding of the barriers impeding such utiliza-
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tion and actions needed to be taken to remove or 
mitigate them to the maximum extent practicable; 
and 
(2) doing so will allow the Administration to en-
courage commercial companies to invest in micro-
gravity research using National Laboratory research 
facilities. 
(b) ASSESSMENT.—The Administrator shall enter 
into an arrangement with the National Academies for an 
assessment to— 
(1) identify barriers impeding enhanced utiliza-
tion of the International Space Station’s National 
Laboratory; 
(2) recommend ways to encourage commercial 
companies to make greater use of the International 
Space Station’s National Laboratory, including cor-
porate investment in microgravity research; and 
(3) identify any legislative changes that may be 
required. 
(c) TRANSMITTAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
transmit 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 
the results of the assessment described in subsection (b). 
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SEC. 213. UTILIZATION OF INTERNATIONAL SPACE STA-
TION FOR SCIENCE MISSIONS. 
The Administrator shall utilize the International 
Space Station for Science Mission Directorate missions in 
low-Earth orbit wherever it is practical and cost effective 
to do so. 
SEC. 214. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CARGO RESUP-
PLY SERVICES LESSONS LEARNED. 
Not later than 120 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 that— 
(1) identifies the lessons learned to date from 
the Commercial Resupply Services contract; 
(2) indicates whether changes are needed to the 
manner in which the Administration procures and 
manages similar services upon the expiration of the 
existing Commercial Resupply Services contract; and 
(3) identifies any lessons learned from the Com-
mercial Resupply Services contract that should be 
applied to the procurement and management of com-
mercially provided crew transfer services to and 
from the International Space Station. 
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SEC. 215. COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that once developed and certified to meet the Admin-
istration’s safety and reliability requirements, United 
States commercially provided crew transportation systems 
offer the potential of serving as the primary means of 
transporting American astronauts and international part-
ner astronauts to and from the International Space Sta-
tion and serving as International Space Station emergency 
crew rescue vehicles. At the same time, the budgetary as-
sumptions used by the Administration in its planning for 
the Commercial Crew Program have consistently assumed 
significantly higher funding levels than have been author-
ized and appropriated by Congress. It is the sense of Con-
gress that credibility in the Administration’s budgetary es-
timates for the Commercial Crew Program can be en-
hanced by an independently developed cost estimate. Such 
credibility in budgetary estimates is an important factor 
in understanding program risk. 
(b) OBJECTIVE.—The objective of the Administra-
tion’s Commercial Crew Program shall be to assist the de-
velopment of at least one crew transportation system to 
carry Administration astronauts safely, reliably, and 
affordably to and from the International Space Station 
and to serve as an emergency crew rescue vehicle as soon 
as practicable within the funding levels authorized. The 
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Administration shall not use any considerations beyond 
this objective in the overall acquisition strategy. 
(c) SAFETY.—Consistent with the findings and rec-
ommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation 
Board, the Administration shall— 
(1) ensure that, in its evaluation and selection 
of contracts for the development of commercial crew 
transportation capabilities, safety is the highest pri-
ority; and 
(2) seek to ensure that minimization of the 
probability of loss of crew shall be an important se-
lection criterion of the Commercial Crew Transpor-
tation Capability Contract. 
(d) COST MINIMIZATION.—The Administrator shall 
strive through the competitive selection process to mini-
mize the life cycle cost to the Administration through the 
planned period of commercially provided crew transpor-
tation services. 
(e) TRANSPARENCY.—Transparency is the corner-
stone of ensuring a safe and reliable commercial crew 
transportation service to the International Space Station. 
The Administrator shall, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable, ensure that every commercial crew transportation 
services provider has provided evidence-based support for 
their costs and schedule. 
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(f) INDEPENDENT
COST
AND
SCHEDULE
ESTI-
MATE.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 30 days 
after the Federal Acquisition Regulation-based con-
tract for the Commercial Crew Transportation Capa-
bility Contract is awarded, the Administrator shall 
arrange for the initiation of an Independent Cost 
and Schedule Estimate for— 
(A) all activities associated with the devel-
opment, test, demonstration, and certification 
of commercial crew transportation systems; 
(B) transportation and rescue services re-
quired by the Administration for International 
Space Station operations through calendar year 
2020 or later if Administration requirements so 
dictate; and 
(C) the estimated date of operational read-
iness for the program each assumption listed in 
paragraph (2) of this subsection. 
(2) ASSUMPTIONS.—The Independent Cost and 
Schedule Estimate shall provide an estimate for each 
of the following scenarios: 
(A) An appropriation of $600,000,000 over 
the next 3 fiscal years. 
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(B) An appropriation of $700,000,000 
over the next 3 fiscal years. 
(C) An appropriation of $800,000,000 over 
the next 3 fiscal years. 
(D) The funding level assumptions over 
the next 3 fiscal years that are included as part 
of commercial crew transportation capability 
contract awards. 
(3) TRANSMITTAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after initiation of the Independent Cost and Sched-
ule Estimate under paragraph (1), the Adminis-
trator shall transmit the results of the Independent 
Cost and Schedule Estimate to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 
(g) IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES.— 
(1) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the 
completion of the Independent Cost and Schedule 
Estimate under subsection (f), the Administrator 
shall transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans-
portation of the Senate a report containing 4 dis-
tinct implementation strategies based on such Inde-
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pendent Cost and Schedule Estimate for the final 
stages of the commercial crew program. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—These options shall in-
clude— 
(A) a strategy that assumes an appropria-
tion of $600,000,000 over the next 3 fiscal 
years; 
(B) a strategy that assumes an appropria-
tion of $700,000,000 over the next 3 fiscal 
years; 
(C) a strategy that assumes an appropria-
tion of $800,000,000 over the next 3 fiscal 
years; and 
(D) a strategy that has yet to be consid-
ered previously in any budget submission but 
that the Administration believes could ensure 
the flight readiness date of 2017 for at least 
one provider. 
(3) INCLUSIONS.—Each strategy shall include 
the contracting instruments the Administration will 
employ to acquire the services in each phase of de-
velopment or acquisition and the number of commer-
cial providers the Administration will include in the 
program. 
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