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TITLE VII—EDUCATION 
SEC. 701. RESPONSE TO REVIEW. 
(a) PLAN.—The Administrator shall prepare a plan 
identifying actions taken or planned in response to the rec-
ommendations 
of 
the 
National 
Academies 
report, 
‘‘NASA’s Elementary and Secondary Education Program: 
Review and Critique’’. For those actions that have not 
been implemented, the plan shall include a schedule and 
budget required to support the actions. 
(b) REPORT.—The plan prepared under subsection 
(a) shall be transmitted to the Committee on Science 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. 
SEC. 702. EXTERNAL REVIEW OF EXPLORER SCHOOLS PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) REVIEW.—The Administrator shall make ar-
rangements for an independent external review of the Ex-
plorer Schools program to evaluate its goals, status, plans, 
and accomplishments. 
(b) REPORT.—The report of the independent external 
review shall be transmitted to the Committee on Science 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
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the Senate not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
SEC. 703. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that NASA’s educational 
programs are important sources of inspiration and hands- 
on learning for the next generation of engineers and sci-
entists and should be supported. In that regard, programs 
such as EarthKAM, which brings NASA directly into 
American classrooms by enabling students to talk directly 
with Astronauts aboard International Space Station and 
take photographs of Earth from space, and NASA involve-
ment in robotics competitions for students of all levels, are 
particularly worthy undertakings and NASA should sup-
port them and look for additional opportunities to engage 
students through NASA’s space and aeronautics activities. 
TITLE VIII—NEAR-EARTH 
OBJECTS 
SEC. 801. IN GENERAL. 
The Congress reaffirms the policy direction estab-
lished in the National Aeronautics and Space Administra-
tion Authorization Act of 2005 (Public Law 109–155) for 
NASA to detect, track, catalogue, and characterize the 
physical characteristics of near-Earth objects equal to or 
greater than 140 meters in diameter. NASA’s Near-Earth 
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Object program activities will also provide benefits to 
NASA’s scientific and exploration activities. 
SEC. 802. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(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, nearly 65,000,000 
years ago. 
(2) 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 undiscovered. 
(3) Asteroid and comet collisions rank as one of 
the most costly natural disasters that can occur. 
(4) The time needed to eliminate or mitigate 
the threat of a collision of a potentially hazardous 
near-Earth object with Earth is measured in dec-
ades. 
(5) Unlike earthquakes and hurricanes, aster-
oids and comets can provide adequate collision infor-
mation, enabling the United States to include both 
asteroid-collision and comet-collision disaster recov-
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ery and disaster avoidance in its public-safety struc-
ture. 
(6) Basic information is needed for technical 
and policy decisionmaking for the United States to 
create a comprehensive program in order to be ready 
to eliminate and mitigate the serious and credible 
threats to humankind posed by potentially hazardous 
near-Earth asteroids and comets. 
(7) As a first step to eliminate and to mitigate 
the risk of such collisions, situation and decision 
analysis processes, as well as procedures and system 
resources, must be in place well before a collision 
threat becomes known. 
SEC. 803. REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION. 
The Administrator shall issue requests for informa-
tion on— 
(1) a low-cost space mission with the purpose of 
rendezvousing with, attaching a tracking device, and 
characterizing the Apophis asteroid, which scientists 
estimate will in 2029 pass at a distance from Earth 
that is closer than geostationary satellites; and 
(2) a medium-sized space mission with the pur-
pose of detecting near-Earth objects equal to or 
greater than 140 meters in diameter. 
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SEC. 804. ESTABLISHMENT OF POLICY. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director of OSTP shall— 
(1) develop a policy for notifying Federal agen-
cies and relevant emergency response institutions of 
an impending near-Earth object threat, if near term 
public safety is at stake; and 
(2) recommend a Federal agency or agencies to 
be responsible for protecting the Nation from a 
near-Earth object that is anticipated to collide with 
Earth and implementing a deflection campaign, in 
consultation with international bodies, should one be 
required. 
SEC. 805. PLANETARY RADAR CAPABILITY. 
The Administrator shall maintain a planetary radar 
that is, at minimum, comparable to the capability provided 
through the NASA Deep Space Network Goldstone facil-
ity. 
SEC. 806. ARECIBO OBSERVATORY. 
Congress reiterates its support for the use of the Are-
cibo Observatory for NASA-funded near-Earth object-re-
lated activities. The Administrator shall ensure the avail-
ability of the Arecibo Observatory’s planetary radar to 
support these activities until the National Academies’ re-
view of NASA’s approach for the survey and deflection 
of near-Earth objects, including a determination of the 
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role of Arecibo, that was directed to be undertaken by the 
Fiscal Year 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act, is com-
pleted. 
SEC. 807. INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES. 
It is the sense of Congress that, since an estimated 
25,000 asteroids of concern have yet to be discovered and 
monitored, the United States should seek to obtain com-
mitments for cooperation from other nations with signifi-
cant resources for contributing to a thorough and timely 
search for such objects and an identification of their char-
acteristics. 
TITLE IX—COMMERCIAL 
INITIATIVES 
SEC. 901. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that a healthy and robust 
commercial sector can make significant contributions to 
the successful conduct of NASA’s space exploration pro-
gram. While some activities are inherently governmental 
in nature, there are many other activities, such as routine 
supply of water, fuel, and other consumables to low Earth 
orbit or to destinations beyond low Earth orbit, and provi-
sion of power or communications services to lunar out-
posts, that potentially could be carried out effectively and 
efficiently by the commercial sector at some point in the 
future. Congress encourages NASA to look for such serv-
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ice opportunities and, to the maximum extent practicable, 
make use of the commercial sector to provide those serv-
ices. It is further the sense of Congress that United States 
entrepreneurial space companies have the potential to de-
velop and deliver innovative technology solutions at afford-
able costs. NASA is encouraged to use United States en-
trepreneurial space companies to conduct appropriate re-
search and development activities. NASA is further en-
couraged to seek ways to ensure that firms that rely on 
fixed-price proposals are not disadvantaged when NASA 
seeks to procure technology development. 
SEC. 902. COMMERCIAL CREW INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to stimulate commercial 
use of space, help maximize the utility and productivity 
of the International Space Station, and enable a commer-
cial means of providing crew transfer and crew rescue 
services for the International Space Station, NASA 
shall— 
(1) make use of United States commercially 
provided International Space Station crew transfer 
and crew rescue services to the maximum extent 
practicable, if those commercial services have dem-
onstrated the capability to meet NASA-specified as-
cent, entry, and International Space Station prox-
imity operations safety requirements; 
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(2) limit, to the maximum extent practicable, 
the use of the Crew Exploration Vehicle to missions 
carrying astronauts beyond low Earth orbit once 
commercial crew transfer and crew rescue services 
that meet safety requirements become operational; 
(3) facilitate, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, the transfer of NASA-developed technologies 
to potential United States commercial crew transfer 
and rescue service providers, consistent with United 
States law; and 
(4) issue a notice of intent, not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, to 
enter into a funded, competitively awarded Space 
Act Agreement with two or more commercial entities 
for a Phase 1 Commercial Orbital Transportation 
Services (COTS) crewed vehicle demonstration pro-
gram. 
(b) COTS CREWED VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION PRO-
GRAM AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are 
authorized to be appropriated to NASA for the program 
described in subsection (a)(4) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 
2009, to remain available until expended. 
(c) CONGRESSIONAL INTENT.—It is the intent of 
Congress that funding for the program described in sub-
section (a)(4) shall not come at the expense of full funding 
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of the amounts authorized under section 101(a)(3), and 
for future fiscal years, for Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle 
development, Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle development, or 
International Space Station cargo delivery. 
(d) ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES AUTHORIZATION OF 
APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to NASA for the provision of International Space 
Station-compatible docking adaptors and other relevant 
technologies to be made available to the commercial crew 
providers selected to service the International Space Sta-
tion $50,000,000, to remain available until expended. 
(e) CREW TRANSFER AND CREW RESCUE SERVICES 
CONTRACT.—If a commercial provider demonstrates the 
capability to provide International Space Station crew 
transfer and crew rescue services and to satisfy NASA as-
cent, entry, and International Space Station proximity op-
erations safety requirements, NASA shall enter into an 
International Space Station crew transfer and crew rescue 
services contract with that commercial provider for a por-
tion of NASA’s anticipated International Space Station 
crew transfer and crew rescue requirements from the time 
the commercial provider commences operations under con-
tract with NASA through calendar year 2016, with an op-
tion to extend the period of performance through calendar 
year 2020. 
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TITLE 
X—REVITALIZATION 
OF 
NASA INSTITUTIONAL CAPA-
BILITIES 
SEC. 1001. REVIEW OF INFORMATION SECURITY CONTROLS. 
(a) REPORT ON CONTROLS.—Not later than one year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General shall transmit to the Committee on Science and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a review of information security controls that pro-
tect NASA’s information technology resources and infor-
mation from inadvertent or deliberate misuse, fraudulent 
use, disclosure, modification, or destruction. The review 
shall focus on networks servicing NASA’s mission direc-
torates. In assessing these controls, the review shall evalu-
ate— 
(1) the network’s ability to limit, detect, and 
monitor access to resources and information, thereby 
safeguarding and protecting them from unauthorized 
access; 
(2) the physical access to network resources; 
and 
(3) the extent to which sensitive research and 
mission data is encrypted. 
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