I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8958 
To reauthorize the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 9, 2024 
Mr. LUCAS (for himself, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. BABIN, and Mr. SORENSEN) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To reauthorize 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 
‘‘NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 
Sec. 101. Fiscal year 2025. 
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TITLE II—EXPLORATION 
Sec. 201. Continuity of purpose for space exploration. 
Sec. 202. International contributions to human exploration. 
Sec. 203. Artemis program. 
Sec. 204. Reaffirmation of the Space Launch System. 
Sec. 205. Human lunar landing capabilities. 
Sec. 206. Advanced spacesuit capabilities. 
TITLE III—SPACE OPERATIONS 
Sec. 301. Report on continued United States presence in low earth orbit. 
Sec. 302. Microgravity research. 
Sec. 303. International Space Station. 
Sec. 304. Nongovernmental missions on the International Space Station. 
Sec. 305. Report on suborbital crew missions. 
Sec. 306. United States deorbit capabilities. 
Sec. 307. Commercial low-earth orbit development. 
TITLE IV—SPACE TECHNOLOGY 
Sec. 401. SBIR phase II flexibility. 
Sec. 402. Lunar power purchase agreement program. 
Sec. 403. Cryogenic fluid valve technology review. 
Sec. 404. Lunar communications. 
TITLE V—AERONAUTICS 
Sec. 501. Definitions. 
Sec. 502. Experimental aircraft demonstrations. 
Sec. 503. Hypersonic research. 
Sec. 504. Advanced materials and manufacturing technology. 
Sec. 505. Unmanned aircraft system and advanced air mobility. 
Sec. 506. Advanced capabilities for emergency response operations. 
Sec. 507. Hydrogen aviation. 
Sec. 508. High-performance chase aircraft. 
Sec. 509. Collaboration with academia. 
Sec. 510. National student unmanned aircraft systems competition program. 
Sec. 511. Decadal survey for national aeronautics research and priorities re-
view. 
TITLE VI—SCIENCE 
Sec. 601. Maintaining a balanced science portfolio. 
Sec. 602. Evaluation of science mission cost-caps. 
Sec. 603. Reexamination of decadal surveys. 
Sec. 604. Assessment of science mission extensions. 
Sec. 605. Landsat. 
Sec. 606. Private earth observation data. 
Sec. 607. Commercial satellite data. 
Sec. 608. Greenhouse gas emission measurements. 
Sec. 609. NASA data for agricultural applications. 
Sec. 610. Planetary science portfolio. 
Sec. 611. Planetary defense. 
Sec. 612. Lunar discovery and exploration. 
Sec. 613. Commercial lunar payload services. 
Sec. 614. Planetary and lunar operations. 
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Sec. 615. Mars sample return. 
Sec. 616. Hubble space telescope servicing. 
Sec. 617. Great observatories mission and technology maturation. 
Sec. 618. Nancy Grace Roman telescope. 
Sec. 619. Chandra X-Ray observatory. 
Sec. 620. Heliophysics research. 
Sec. 621. Study on commercial space weather data. 
Sec. 622. Geospace dynamics constellation. 
TITLE VII—STEM EDUCATION 
Sec. 701. National space grant college and fellowship program. 
TITLE VIII—POLICY/NASA 
Sec. 801. Major programs. 
Sec. 802. NASA advisory council. 
Sec. 803. NASA assessment of early cost estimates. 
Sec. 804. Independent cost estimate. 
Sec. 805. Office of science and technology policy report. 
Sec. 806. National space advisory committee. 
Sec. 807. Authorization for the transfer to NASA of funds from other agencies 
for scientific or engineering research or education. 
Sec. 808. Procedure for launch services risk mitigation. 
Sec. 809. Report on merits and options for establishing an institute relating to 
space resources. 
Sec. 810. Reports to Congress. 
Sec. 811. Advancement of private sector human space activities. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
(2) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives. 
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(3) CISLUNAR
SPACE.—The term ‘‘cislunar 
space’’ means the region of space beyond low-Earth 
orbit out to and including the region around the sur-
face of the Moon. 
(4) COMMERCIAL PROVIDER.—The term ‘‘com-
mercial provider’’ means any person providing space 
services, primary control of which is held by persons 
other than the Federal Government, a State or local 
government, or a foreign government. 
(5) DEEP
SPACE.—The term ‘‘deep space’’ 
means the region of space beyond low-Earth orbit, 
which includes cislunar space. 
(6) ISS.—The term ‘‘ISS’’ means the Inter-
national Space Station. 
(7) NASA.—The term ‘‘NASA’’ means the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
(8) ORION.—The term ‘‘Orion’’ means the mul-
tipurpose crew vehicle described under section 303 
of the National Aeronautics and Space Administra-
tion Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18323). 
(9) SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘Space 
Launch System’’ means the Space Launch System 
authorized under section 302 of the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration Authorization Act 
of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18322). 
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(10) UNITED
STATES
GOVERNMENT
ASTRO-
NAUT.—The term ‘‘United States Government astro-
naut’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘government 
astronaut’’ in section 50905 of title 51, United 
States Code, except that it does not include an indi-
vidual who is an international partner astronaut. 
TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF 
APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 101. FISCAL YEAR 2025. 
For fiscal year 2025, there are authorized to be ap-
propriated to NASA $25,224,640,000 as follows: 
(1) For Exploration, $7,618,200,000. 
(2) For Space Operations, $4,473,500,000. 
(3) For Space Technology, $1,181,800,000. 
(4) For Science, $7,334,200,000. 
(5) For Aeronautic, $965,800,000. 
(6) For Education, $135,000,000. 
(7) For Safety, Security, and Mission Services, 
$3,044,440,000. 
(8) For Construction and Environmental Com-
pliance and Restoration, $424,100,000. 
(9) For Inspector General, $47,600,000. 
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TITLE II—EXPLORATION 
SEC. 201. CONTINUITY OF PURPOSE FOR SPACE EXPLO-
RATION. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) NASA continues to make progress in devel-
oping and testing the Space Launch System, Orion, 
and associated ground systems, including through 
the successful completion of the Artemis I mission in 
November 2022 and through continued preparations 
for the Artemis II crewed flight demonstration mis-
sion. 
(2) The number of spacefaring countries is in-
creasing, and foreign countries have expanded activi-
ties for space exploration efforts, including efforts to 
explore and utilize the Moon through human and 
robotic missions. 
(3) A strong and ambitious space exploration 
program conducted with international and commer-
cial partners is important to maintaining United 
States leadership in space and enhancing United 
States international competitiveness. 
(4) Clear mission objectives that tie to concrete, 
long-term programmatic goals provide a measure to 
ensure accountability, enhance public support for ex-
ploration missions, and provide a clear signal of 
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commitment to both international and domestic 
partners. 
(b) CONTINUITY OF EXISTING CAPABILITIES AND 
PROGRAMS.— 
(1) As part of the human exploration activities 
of the Administration, including progress on Artemis 
missions and activities, the Administrator shall con-
tinue development of space exploration elements pur-
suant to section 10811 of the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2022 
(Public Law 117–167; 51 U.S.C. 20302). 
(2) The Administrator shall leverage the private 
sector for logistical services to the extent practical, 
consistent with the Moon to Mars architecture re-
quirements and in accordance with section 50131 of 
title 51, United States Code. 
(3) Congress reaffirms the sense of Congress to 
maintain continuity of purpose as described in sec-
tion 201 of the 2017 NASA Transition Authoriza-
tion Act (Public Law 115–10; 131 Stat. 21). 
SEC. 202. INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO HUMAN EX-
PLORATION. 
Subsection (d) of section 70504 of title 51, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to achieve the goal 
of successfully conducting a crewed mission to the 
surface of Mars, the President may invite the United 
States partners in the International Space Station 
program and other countries, as appropriate, to par-
ticipate in an international initiative under the lead-
ership of the United States. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—After January 1, 2025, the 
Administrator shall not include an international con-
tribution on the critical path for any mission sup-
porting the human exploration roadmap developed 
pursuant to section 20302(b) of this title, or section 
432 of the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis-
tration Transition Authorization Act of 2017 (51 
U.S.C. 20302 note; Public Law 115–10), unless the 
Administrator— 
‘‘(A) determines that the risk of under- or 
non-performance by the international partner 
making the contribution is low; 
‘‘(B) prepares a detailed plan to ensure 
that any under- or non-performance of the 
international partner will not result in signifi-
cant cost increases, disruption, or delay of 
United States space exploration goals and ob-
jectives; and 
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‘‘(C) transmits a report describing the 
basis for the determination in subparagraph (A) 
and the plan in subparagraph (B) to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate at least 30 days prior to 
entering into a commitment with the inter-
national partner for such contribution. 
‘‘(3) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘critical path’ means any program element that, if 
delayed or cancelled, or if modified in a way that 
significantly impacts performance, would prevent, 
delay, or impede progress, or increase costs for the 
overall program.’’. 
SEC. 203. ARTEMIS PROGRAM. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—The following is the sense 
of Congress: 
(1) Exploration of outer space, including explo-
ration of the lunar surface and cislunar space, pro-
vides benefits and economic opportunity, including 
by inspiring future generations and expanding the 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
workforce needed to sustain United States leader-
ship in science, space, and technology. 
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