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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cluding for the Administration’s scientific and engi-
neering workforce; and 
(4) the extent to which commercial applications 
such as hosted payloads, free flyers, and data buys 
could provide measurable benefits for such mission 
programs, while preserving the principle of inde-
pendent peer review as the basis for mission selec-
tion. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 270 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 
on the review required under subsection (b) and on rec-
ommendations to enhance principal investigator-led small 
orbital science missions conducted by the Administration 
in accordance with the results of the review required by 
subsection (b). 
SEC. 305. ASSESSMENT OF SCIENCE MISSION EXTENSIONS. 
Section 30504 of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 30504. Assessment of science mission extensions 
‘‘(a) ASSESSMENT.—The Administrator shall carry 
out biennial reviews within each of the Science divisions 
to assess the cost and benefits of extending the date of 
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the termination of data collection for those missions that 
exceed their planned missions’ lifetime. The assessment 
shall take into consideration how extending missions im-
pacts the start of future missions. 
‘‘(b) CONSULTATION AND CONSIDERATION OF PO-
TENTIAL BENEFITS OF INSTRUMENTS ON MISSIONS.— 
When deciding whether to extend a mission that has an 
operational component, the Administrator shall consult 
with any affected Federal agency and shall take into ac-
count the potential benefits of instruments on missions 
that are beyond their planned mission lifetime. 
‘‘(c) REPORT.—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, at the 
same time as the submission to Congress of the Adminis-
tration’s annual budget request for each fiscal year, a re-
port detailing any assessment required by subsection (a) 
that was carried out during the previous year.’’. 
Subtitle B—Astrophysics 
SEC. 311. 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 astrophysics missions. 
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SEC. 312. EXTRASOLAR PLANET EXPLORATION STRATEGY. 
(a) STRATEGY.—The Administrator shall enter into 
an arrangement with the National Academies to develop 
a science strategy for the study and exploration of 
extrasolar planets, including the use of the Transiting 
Exoplanet Survey Satellite, the James Webb Space Tele-
scope, a potential Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope 
mission, or any other telescope, spacecraft, or instrument 
as appropriate. Such strategy shall— 
(1) outline key scientific questions; 
(2) identify the most promising research in the 
field; 
(3) indicate the extent to which the mission pri-
orities in existing decadal surveys address the key 
extrasolar planet research goals; 
(4) identify opportunities for coordination with 
international partners, commercial partners, and 
other not-for-profit partners; and 
(5) make recommendations on the above as ap-
propriate. 
(b) USE OF STRATEGY.—The Administrator shall use 
the strategy to— 
(1) inform roadmaps, strategic plans, and other 
activities of the Administration as they relate to 
extrasolar planet research and exploration; and 
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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 2016 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 plan-
etary science programs in accordance with the priorities 
established 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 
million 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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mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 
TITLE IV—AERONAUTICS 
SEC. 401. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) a robust aeronautics research portfolio will 
help maintain the United States status as a leader 
in aviation, enhance the competitiveness of the 
United States in the world economy and improve the 
quality of life of all citizens; 
(2) aeronautics research is essential to the Ad-
ministration’s mission, continues to be an important 
core element of the Administration’s mission and 
should be supported; 
(3) the Administrator should coordinate and 
consult with relevant Federal agencies and the pri-
vate sector to minimize duplication and leverage re-
sources; and 
(4) carrying aeronautics research to a level of 
maturity that allows the Administration’s research 
results to be transitioned to the users, whether pri-
vate or public sector, is critical to their eventual 
adoption. 
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104 
(ii) obtain electronic parts that are 
not in production or currently available in 
stock from suppliers that meet qualifica-
tion requirements established pursuant to 
subparagraph (C); 
(B) establish documented requirements 
consistent with published industry standards or 
Government contract requirements for— 
(i) notification of the Administration; 
and 
(ii) inspection, testing, and authen-
tication of electronic parts that the Admin-
istration or an Administration contractor 
or subcontractor obtains from any source 
other than a source described in subpara-
graph (A); 
(C) establish qualification requirements, 
consistent with the requirements of section 
2319 of title 10, United States Code, pursuant 
to which the Administration may identify sup-
pliers that have appropriate policies and proce-
dures in place to detect and avoid counterfeit 
electronic parts and suspect counterfeit elec-
tronic parts; and 
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