ISS, including a list of critical components 
and their expected service life and avail-
ability; and 
‘‘(iv) such other information as may 
be necessary to fully describe the justifica-
tion for and feasibility of extending the 
service life of the ISS, including the poten-
tial scientific or technological benefits to 
the Federal Government, public, or to aca-
demic or commercial entities; 
‘‘(K) an identification of the necessary ac-
tions and an estimate of the costs to deorbit the 
ISS once it has reached the end of its service 
life; 
‘‘(L) the impact on deep space exploration 
capabilities, including a crewed mission to Mars 
in the 2030s, if the preferred service life of the 
ISS is extended beyond 2024 and NASA main-
tains a flat budget profile; and 
‘‘(M) an evaluation of the functions, roles, 
and responsibilities for management and oper-
ation of the ISS and a determination of— 
‘‘(i) those functions, roles, and re-
sponsibilities 
the 
Federal 
Government 
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should retain during the life cycle of the 
ISS; 
‘‘(ii) those functions, roles, and re-
sponsibilities that could be transferred to 
the commercial space sector; 
‘‘(iii) the metrics that would indicate 
the commercial space sector’s readiness 
and ability to assume the functions, roles, 
and responsibilities described in clause (ii); 
and 
‘‘(iv) any necessary changes to any 
agreements or other documents and the 
law to enable the activities described in 
subparagraphs (A) and (B). 
‘‘(3) DEMONSTRATIONS.—If additional Govern-
ment crew, power, and transportation resources are 
available after meeting the Administration’s require-
ments for ISS activities defined in the human explo-
ration roadmap and related research, demonstrations 
identified under paragraph (2) may— 
‘‘(A) test the capabilities needed to meet 
future mission requirements, space exploration 
objectives, and other research objectives de-
scribed in paragraph (2)(A); and 
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‘‘(B) demonstrate or test capabilities, in-
cluding commercial modules or deep space habi-
tats, Environmental Control and Life Support 
Systems, orbital satellite assembly, exploration 
space suits, a node that enables a wide variety 
of activity, including multiple commercial mod-
ules and airlocks, additional docking or berth-
ing ports for commercial crew and cargo, oppor-
tunities for the commercial space sector to cost 
share for transportation and other services on 
the ISS, other commercial activities, or services 
obtained through alternate acquisition ap-
proaches.’’. 
SEC. 304. SPACE COMMUNICATIONS. 
(a) PLAN.—The Administrator shall develop a plan, 
in consultation with relevant Federal agencies, to meet the 
Administration’s projected space communication and navi-
gation needs for low-Earth orbit and deep space oper-
ations in the 20-year period following the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The plan shall include— 
(1) the life cycle cost estimates and a 5-year 
funding profile; 
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(2) the performance capabilities required to 
meet the Administration’s projected space commu-
nication and navigation needs; 
(3) the measures the Administration will take 
to sustain the existing space communications and 
navigation architecture; 
(4) an identification of the projected space com-
munications and navigation network and infrastruc-
ture needs; 
(5) a description of the necessary upgrades to 
meet the needs identified in paragraph (4), includ-
ing— 
(A) an estimate of the cost of the up-
grades; 
(B) a schedule for implementing the up-
grades; and 
(C) an assessment of whether and how any 
related missions will be impacted if resources 
are not secured at the level needed; 
(6) the cost estimates for the maintenance of 
existing space communications network capabilities 
necessary to meet the needs identified in paragraph 
(4); 
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(7) the criteria for prioritizing resources for the 
upgrades described in paragraph (5) and the mainte-
nance described in paragraph (6); 
(8) an estimate of any reimbursement amounts 
the Administration may receive from other Federal 
agencies; 
(9) an identification of the projected Tracking 
and Data Relay Satellite System needs in the 20- 
year period following the date of enactment of this 
Act, including in support of relevant Federal agen-
cies, and cost and schedule estimates to maintain 
and upgrade the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite 
System to meet the projected needs; 
(10) the measures the Administration is taking 
to meet space communications needs after all Track-
ing and Data Relay Satellite System third-genera-
tion communications satellites are operational; and 
(11) the measures the Administration is taking 
to mitigate threats to electromagnetic spectrum use. 
(c) SCHEDULE.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit 
the plan to the appropriate committees of Congress. 
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SEC. 305. INDEMNIFICATION; NASA LAUNCH SERVICES AND 
REENTRY SERVICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 201 of 
title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘§ 20148. Indemnification; NASA launch services and 
reentry services 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Under such regulations in con-
formity with this section as the Administrator shall pre-
scribe taking into account the availability, cost, and terms 
of liability insurance, any contract between the Adminis-
tration and a provider may provide that the United States 
will indemnify the provider against successful claims (in-
cluding reasonable expenses of litigation or settlement) by 
third parties for death, bodily injury, or loss of or damage 
to property resulting from launch services and reentry 
services carried out under the contract that the contract 
defines as unusually hazardous or nuclear in nature, but 
only to the extent the total amount of successful claims 
related to the activities under the contract— 
‘‘(1) is more than the amount of insurance or 
demonstration of financial responsibility described in 
subsection (c)(3); and 
‘‘(2) is not more than the amount specified in 
section 50915(a)(1)(B). 
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‘‘(b) TERMS
OF
INDEMNIFICATION.—A contract 
made under subsection (a) that provides indemnification 
shall provide for— 
‘‘(1) notice to the United States of any claim or 
suit against the provider for death, bodily injury, or 
loss of or damage to property; and 
‘‘(2) control of or assistance in the defense by 
the United States, at its election, of that claim or 
suit and approval of any settlement. 
‘‘(c) LIABILITY INSURANCE OF THE PROVIDER.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The provider under sub-
section (a) shall obtain liability insurance or dem-
onstrate financial responsibility in amounts to com-
pensate for the maximum probable loss from claims 
by— 
‘‘(A) a third party for death, bodily injury, 
or property damage or loss resulting from a 
launch service or reentry service carried out 
under the contract; and 
‘‘(B) the United States Government for 
damage or loss to Government property result-
ing from a launch service or reentry service car-
ried out under the contract. 
‘‘(2) MAXIMUM PROBABLE LOSSES.— 
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‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall determine the maximum probable losses 
under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph 
(1) not later than 90 days after the date that 
the provider requests such a determination and 
submits all information the Administrator re-
quires. 
‘‘(B) REVISIONS.—The Administrator may 
revise a determination under subparagraph (A) 
of this paragraph if the Administrator deter-
mines the revision is warranted based on new 
information. 
‘‘(3) AMOUNT OF INSURANCE.—For the total 
claims related to one launch or reentry, a provider 
shall not be required to obtain insurance or dem-
onstrate financial responsibility of more than— 
‘‘(A)(i) $500,000,000 under paragraph 
(1)(A); or 
‘‘(ii) 
$100,000,000 
under 
paragraph 
(1)(B); or 
‘‘(B) the maximum liability insurance 
available on the world market at reasonable 
cost. 
‘‘(4) COVERAGE.—An insurance policy or dem-
onstration of financial responsibility under this sub-
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section shall protect the following, to the extent of 
their potential liability for involvement in launch 
services or reentry services: 
‘‘(A) The Government. 
‘‘(B) Personnel of the Government. 
‘‘(C) Related entities of the Government. 
‘‘(D) Related entities of the provider. 
‘‘(E) Government astronauts. 
‘‘(d) NO INDEMNIFICATION WITHOUT CROSS-WAIV-
ER.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Administrator 
may not indemnify a provider under this section unless 
there is a cross-waiver between the Administration and the 
provider as described in subsection (e). 
‘‘(e) CROSS-WAIVERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, on be-
half of the United States and its departments, agen-
cies, and instrumentalities, shall reciprocally waive 
claims with a provider under which each party to the 
waiver agrees to be responsible, and agrees to ensure 
that its related entities are responsible, for damage 
or loss to its property, or for losses resulting from 
any injury or death sustained by its employees or 
agents, as a result of activities arising out of the 
performance of the contract. 
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‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The waiver made by the 
Government under paragraph (1) shall apply only to 
the extent that the claims are more than the amount 
of insurance or demonstration of financial responsi-
bility required under subsection (c)(1)(B). 
‘‘(f) WILLFUL MISCONDUCT.—Indemnification under 
subsection (a) may exclude claims resulting from the will-
ful misconduct of the provider or its related entities. 
‘‘(g) CERTIFICATION
OF JUST
AND REASONABLE 
AMOUNT.—No payment may be made under subsection 
(a) unless the Administrator or the Administrator’s des-
ignee certifies that the amount is just and reasonable. 
‘‘(h) PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Upon the approval by the 
Administrator, payments under subsection (a) may 
be made from funds appropriated for such pay-
ments. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The Administrator shall not 
approve payments under paragraph (1), except to 
the extent provided in an appropriation law or to the 
extent additional legislative authority is enacted pro-
viding for such payments. 
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL
APPROPRIATIONS.—If the 
Administrator requests additional appropriations to 
make payments under this subsection, then the re-
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quest for those appropriations shall be made in ac-
cordance with the procedures established under sec-
tion 50915. 
‘‘(i) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The authority to indemnify 
under this section shall not create any rights in 
third persons that would not otherwise exist by law. 
‘‘(2) OTHER AUTHORITY.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed as prohibiting the Adminis-
trator from indemnifying a provider or any other 
NASA contractor under other law, including under 
Public Law 85–804 (50 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.). 
‘‘(3) ANTI-DEFICIENCY ACT.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of this section— 
‘‘(A) all obligations under this section are 
subject to the availability of funds; and 
‘‘(B) nothing in this section may be con-
strued to require obligation or payment of 
funds in violation of sections 1341, 1342, 1349 
through 1351, and 1511 through 1519 of title 
31, United States Code (commonly referred to 
as the ‘Anti-Deficiency Act’). 
‘‘(j) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.—The Admin-
istrator may not provide indemnification under this sec-
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tion for an activity that requires a license or permit under 
chapter 509. 
‘‘(k) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) GOVERNMENT
ASTRONAUT.—The term 
‘government astronaut’ has the meaning given the 
term in section 50902. 
‘‘(2) LAUNCH
SERVICES.—The term ‘launch 
services’ has the meaning given the term in section 
50902. 
‘‘(3) PROVIDER.—The term ‘provider’ means a 
person that provides domestic launch services or do-
mestic reentry services to the Government. 
‘‘(4) REENTRY SERVICES.—The term ‘reentry 
services’ has the meaning given the term in section 
50902. 
‘‘(5) RELATED ENTITY.—The term ‘related en-
tity’ means a contractor or subcontractor. 
‘‘(6) THIRD
PARTY.—The term ‘third party’ 
means a person except— 
‘‘(A) the United States Government; 
‘‘(B) related entities of the Government in-
volved in launch services or reentry services; 
‘‘(C) a provider; 
‘‘(D) related entities of the provider in-
volved in launch services or reentry services; or 
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‘‘(E) a government astronaut.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents for subchapter III of chapter 201 of title 51, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relat-
ing to section 20147 the following: 
‘‘20148. Indemnification; NASA launch services and reentry services.’’. 
TITLE IV—ADVANCING HUMAN 
DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION 
Subtitle A—Human Space Flight 
and Exploration Goals and Ob-
jectives 
SEC. 411. HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT AND EXPLORATION LONG- 
TERM GOALS. 
Section 202(a) of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 
U.S.C. 18312(a)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) LONG-TERM GOALS.—The long-term goals of 
the human space flight and exploration efforts of NASA 
shall be— 
‘‘(1) to expand permanent human presence be-
yond low-Earth orbit and to do so, where practical, 
in a manner involving international, academic, and 
industry partners; 
‘‘(2) crewed missions and progress toward 
achieving the goal in paragraph (1) to enable the po-
tential for subsequent human exploration and the ex-
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tension of human presence throughout the solar sys-
tem; and 
‘‘(3) to enable a capability to extend human 
presence, including potential human habitation on 
another celestial body and a thriving space economy 
in the 21st century.’’. 
SEC. 412. KEY OBJECTIVES. 
Section 202(b) of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 
U.S.C. 18312(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 
inserting a semicolon; 
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) to achieve human exploration of Mars and 
beyond through the prioritization of those tech-
nologies and capabilities best suited for such a mis-
sion in accordance with the stepping stone approach 
to exploration under section 70504 of title 51, 
United States Code.’’. 
SEC. 413. VISION FOR SPACE EXPLORATION. 
Section 20302 of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended— 
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(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘in cis-lunar 
space or’’ after ‘‘sustained human presence’’; 
(2) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(b) FUTURE EXPLORATION OF MARS.—The Admin-
istrator shall manage human space flight programs, in-
cluding the Space Launch System and Orion, to enable 
humans to explore Mars and other destinations by defin-
ing a series of sustainable steps and conducting mission 
planning, research, and technology development on a time-
table that is technically and fiscally possible, consistent 
with section 70504.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) 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). 
‘‘(2) SPACE
LAUNCH
SYSTEM.—The term 
‘Space Launch System’ means has the meaning 
given the term in section 3 of the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration Authorization Act 
of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18302).’’. 
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SEC. 414. STEPPING STONE APPROACH TO EXPLORATION. 
Section 70504 of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 70504. Stepping stone approach to exploration 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administration may con-
duct missions to intermediate destinations pursuant to the 
human exploration roadmap developed under section 432 
of this Act that shall be designed and implemented in a 
manner that gives strong consideration to how those ac-
tivities might also help meet the requirements of future 
exploration and utilization activities beyond Mars. The 
timetable of the Mars phase of the long-term international 
exploration initiative shall be determined by the avail-
ability of funding. 
‘‘(b) COST EFFECTIVENESS.—In order to maximize 
the cost effectiveness of the long-term space exploration 
and utilization activities of the United States, the Admin-
istrator shall take all necessary steps, including engaging 
international, academic, and industry partners, to ensure 
that activities in the Administration’s human space explo-
ration program balance how those activities might also 
help meet the requirements of future exploration and utili-
zation activities leading to human habitation on the sur-
face of Mars. 
‘‘(c) COMPLETION.—Within budgetary consider-
ations, once an exploration-related project enters its devel-
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opment phase, the Administrator shall seek, to the max-
imum extent practicable, to complete that project without 
undue delays. 
‘‘(d) INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION.—In order to 
achieve the goal of successfully conducting a crewed mis-
sion to the surface of Mars, the President may invite the 
United States partners in the ISS program and other na-
tions, as appropriate, to participate in an international ini-
tiative under the leadership of the United States.’’. 
SEC. 415. UPDATE OF EXPLORATION PLAN AND PROGRAMS. 
Section 70502(2) of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) implement an exploration research and 
technology development program to enable human 
and robotic operations consistent with section 
20302(b) of this title;’’. 
SEC. 416. REPEALS. 
(a) SPACE SHUTTLE CAPABILITY ASSURANCE.—Sec-
tion 203 of the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis-
tration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18313) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (b); 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘subsection 
(c)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)’’; and 
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(3) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as 
subsections (b) and (c), respectively. 
(b) SHUTTLE PRICING POLICY
FOR COMMERCIAL 
AND FOREIGN USERS.—Chapter 703 of title 51, United 
States Code, and the item relating to that chapter in the 
table of chapters for that title, are repealed. 
(c) SHUTTLE PRIVATIZATION.—Section 50133 of 
title 51, United States Code, and the item relating to that 
section in the table of sections for chapter 501 of that 
title, are repealed. 
SEC. 417. ASSURED ACCESS TO SPACE. 
Section 70501 of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(a) POLICY STATEMENT.—In order to ensure con-
tinuous United States leadership in exploration of space 
and as an essential instrument of national security, it is 
the policy of the United States— 
‘‘(1) to maintain an uninterrupted capability for 
human space flight and operations— 
‘‘(A) in low-Earth orbit; and 
‘‘(B) beyond low-Earth orbit once the ca-
pabilities described in section 421 of the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration 
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Transition Authorization Act of 2016 become 
available; and 
‘‘(2) to maintain an uninterrupted capability for 
human space flight.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘Committee 
on Science and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate’’. 
Subtitle B—Assuring Core 
Capabilities for Exploration 
SEC. 421. SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM, ORION, AND EXPLO-
RATION GROUND SYSTEMS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) NASA has made steady progress in devel-
oping and testing the Space Launch System and 
Orion exploration systems with the successful Explo-
ration Flight Test of Orion in December of 2014, 
the final qualification test firing of the 5-segment 
Space Launch System boosters in June 2016, and a 
full thrust, full duration test firing of the RS–25 
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Space Launch System core stage engine in August 
2016. 
(2) Through the 21st Century Launch Complex 
program and Exploration Ground Systems pro-
grams, NASA has made significant progress in 
transforming exploration ground systems infrastruc-
ture to meet NASA’s mission requirements for the 
Space Launch System and Orion and to modernize 
NASA’s launch complexes to the benefit of the civil, 
defense, and commercial space sectors. 
(b) SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM.— 
(1) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the Space Launch System is the most 
practical approach to reaching the Moon, Mars, and 
beyond. 
(2) REAFFIRMATION.—Congress reaffirms the 
policy and minimum capability requirements for the 
Space Launch System under section 302 of the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration Au-
thorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18322). 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS ON SPACE LAUNCH SYS-
TEM, ORION, AND EXPLORATION GROUND SYSTEMS.—It 
is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) as the United States works to send humans 
on a series of missions to Mars in the 2030s, the 
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United States national space program should con-
tinue to make progress on its commitment by fully 
developing the Space Launch System, Orion, and re-
lated Exploration Ground Systems; 
(2) using the Space Launch System and Orion 
for a wide range of contemplated missions will facili-
tate the national defense, science, and exploration 
objectives of the United States; 
(3) the United States should have continuity of 
purpose for the Space Launch System and Orion in 
deep space exploration missions, using them begin-
ning with the uncrewed mission, EM–1, planned for 
2018, followed by the crewed mission, EM–2, in cis- 
lunar space planned for 2021, and for subsequent 
missions beginning with EM–3 extending into cis- 
lunar space and eventually to Mars; 
(4) the President’s annual budget requests for 
the Space Launch System and Orion development, 
test, and operational phases should strive to accu-
rately reflect the resource requirements of each of 
those phases; 
(5) the fully integrated Space Launch System, 
including an upper stage needed to go beyond low- 
Earth orbit, will safely enable human space explo-
ration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond; and 
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(6) the Administrator should budget for and 
undertake a robust ground test and uncrewed and 
crewed flight test and demonstration program for 
the Space Launch System and Orion in order to pro-
mote safety and reduce programmatic risk. 
(d) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall con-
tinue— 
(1) the development of the fully integrated 
Space Launch System, including an upper stage 
needed to go beyond low-Earth orbit, in order to 
safely enable human space exploration of the Moon, 
Mars, and beyond over the course of the next cen-
tury as required in section 302(c) of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization 
Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18322(c)); and 
(2) to ensure, to the extent practical, that 
Orion meets the needs and the minimum capability 
requirements described in section 303 of the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration Au-
thorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18323). 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit 
a report to the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
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on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate— 
(1) detailing those components and systems of 
Orion that ensure it is in compliance with section 
303(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 18323(b)); and 
(2) detailing the expected date that Orion, inte-
grated with a vehicle other than the Space Launch 
System, could be available to transport crew and 
cargo to the International Space Station. 
(f) EXPLORATION MISSIONS.—The Administrator 
shall continue development of— 
(1) an uncrewed exploration mission to dem-
onstrate the capability of both the Space Launch 
System and Orion as an integrated system by 2018; 
(2) subject to applicable human rating proc-
esses and requirements, a crewed exploration mis-
sion to demonstrate the Space Launch System, in-
cluding the Core Stage and Exploration Upper 
Stages, by 2021; 
(3) subsequent missions beginning with EM–3 
at operational flight rate sufficient to maintain safe-
ty and operational readiness using the Space Launch 
System and Orion to extend into cis-lunar space and 
eventually to Mars; and 
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(4) a deep space habitat as a key element in a 
deep space exploration architecture along with the 
Space Launch System and Orion. 
(g) OTHER USES.—The Administrator shall assess 
the utility of the Space Launch System for use by the 
science community and for other Federal Government 
launch needs, including consideration of overall cost and 
schedule savings from reduced transit times and increased 
science returns enabled by the unique capabilities of the 
Space Launch System. 
(h) UTILIZATION REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Di-
rector of National Intelligence, shall prepare a re-
port that addresses the effort and budget required to 
enable and utilize a cargo variant of the 130-ton 
Space Launch System configuration described in 
section 302(c) of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 
U.S.C. 18322(c)). 
(2) CONTENTS.—In preparing the report, the 
Administrator shall— 
(A) consider the technical requirements of 
the scientific and national security communities 
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related to a cargo variant of the Space Launch 
System; and 
(B) directly assess the utility and esti-
mated cost savings obtained by using a cargo 
variant of the Space Launch System for na-
tional security and space science missions. 
(3) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator shall submit the report to the appro-
priate committees of Congress. 
Subtitle C—Journey to Mars 
SEC. 431. FINDINGS ON HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) In accordance with section 204 of the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration Au-
thorization Act of 2010 (124 Stat. 2813), the Na-
tional Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Med-
icine, through its Committee on Human Spaceflight, 
conducted a review of the goals, core capabilities, 
and direction of human space flight, and published 
the findings and recommendations in a 2014 report 
entitled, ‘‘Pathways to Exploration: Rationales and 
Approaches for a U.S. Program of Human Space 
Exploration’’. 
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(2) The Committee on Human Spaceflight in-
cluded leaders from the aerospace, scientific, secu-
rity, and policy communities. 
(3) With input from the public, the Committee 
on Human Spaceflight concluded that many prac-
tical and aspirational rationales for human space 
flight together constitute a compelling case for con-
tinued national investment and pursuit of human 
space exploration toward the horizon goal of Mars. 
(4) According to the Committee on Human 
Spaceflight, the rationales include economic benefits, 
national security, national prestige, inspiring stu-
dents and other citizens, scientific discovery, human 
survival, and a sense of shared destiny. 
(5) The Committee on Human Spaceflight af-
firmed that Mars is the appropriate long-term goal 
for the human space flight program. 
(6) The Committee on Human Spaceflight rec-
ommended that NASA define a series of sustainable 
steps and conduct mission planning and technology 
development as needed to achieve the long-term goal 
of placing humans on the surface of Mars. 
(7) Expanding human presence beyond low- 
Earth orbit and advancing toward human missions 
to Mars requires early planning and timely decisions 
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to be made in the near-term on the necessary 
courses of action for commitments to achieve short- 
term and long-term goals and objectives. 
(8) In addition to the 2014 report described in 
paragraph (1), there are several independently devel-
oped reports or concepts that describe potential 
Mars architectures or concepts and identify Mars as 
the long-term goal for human space exploration, in-
cluding NASA’s ‘‘The Global Exploration Roadmap’’ 
of 2013, ‘‘NASA’s Journey to Mars–Pioneering 
Next Steps in Space Exploration’’ of 2015, NASA 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s ‘‘Minimal Architecture 
for Human Journeys to Mars’’ of 2015, and Explore 
Mars’ ‘‘The Humans to Mars Report 2016’’. 
SEC. 432. HUMAN EXPLORATION ROADMAP. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) expanding human presence beyond low- 
Earth orbit and advancing toward human missions 
to Mars in the 2030s requires early strategic plan-
ning and timely decisions to be made in the near- 
term on the necessary courses of action for commit-
ments to achieve short-term and long-term goals and 
objectives; 
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145 
(iv) the value; 
(v) the extent of the cost sharing 
among Federal Government and non-Fed-
eral sources; 
(vi) the time period or schedule; and 
(vii) all milestones; and 
(C) an indication of whether the agreement 
was renewed during the previous fiscal year. 
(3) ANTICIPATED
AGREEMENTS.—The report 
shall also include a list of all anticipated reimburs-
able, non-reimbursable, and funded Space Act 
Agreements for the upcoming fiscal year. 
(4) CUMULATIVE
PROGRAM
BENEFITS.—The 
report shall also include, with respect to the Space 
Act Agreements covered by the report, a summary 
of— 
(A) the technology areas in which research 
projects were conducted under such agreements; 
(B) the extent to which the use of the 
Space Act Agreements— 
(i) has contributed to a broadening of 
the technology and industrial base avail-
able for meeting Administration needs; and 
(ii) has fostered within the technology 
and industrial base new relationships and 
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