(5) a plan for how the Administration will en-
sure that sonic boom research is coordinated as ap-
propriate with relevant Federal agencies. 
SEC. 407. RESEARCH ON NEXTGEN AIRSPACE MANAGEMENT 
CONCEPTS AND TOOLS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall, in con-
sultation with other Federal agencies, review at least annu-
ally the alignment and timing of the Administration’s re-
search and development activities in support of the NextGen 
airspace management modernization initiative, and shall 
make any necessary adjustments by reprioritizing or retar-
geting the Administration’s research and development ac-
tivities in support of the NextGen initiative. 
(b) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Administrator shall re-
port 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 annually 
regarding the progress of the Administration’s research and 
development activities in support of the NextGen airspace 
management modernization initiative, including details of 
technologies transferred to relevant Federal agencies for 
eventual operation implementation, consultation with other 
Federal agencies, and any adjustments made to research ac-
tivities. 
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SEC. 408. ROTORCRAFT RESEARCH. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with other Fed-
eral agencies, shall prepare and transmit 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 a roadmap for research relat-
ing to rotorcraft and other runway-independent air vehi-
cles, with the objective of developing and demonstrating im-
proved safety, noise, and environmental impact in a rel-
evant environment. The roadmap shall include specific 
goals for the research, a timeline for implementation, 
metrics for success, and guidelines for collaboration and co-
ordination with industry and other Federal agencies. 
SEC. 409. TRANSFORMATIVE AERONAUTICS RESEARCH. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Administrator, in 
looking strategically into the future and ensuring that the 
Administration’s Center personnel are at the leading edge 
of aeronautics research, should encourage investigations 
into the early-stage advancement of new processes, novel 
concepts, and innovative technologies that have the poten-
tial to meet national aeronautics needs. The Administrator 
shall continue to ensure that awards for the investigation 
of these concepts and technologies are open for competition 
among Administration civil servants at its Centers, sepa-
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rate from other awards open only to non-Administration 
sources. 
SEC. 410. STUDY OF UNITED STATES LEADERSHIP IN AERO-
NAUTICS RESEARCH. 
(a) STUDY.—The Administrator shall enter into an ar-
rangement with the National Academies for a study to 
benchmark the position of the United States in civil aero-
nautics research compared to the rest of the world. The 
study shall— 
(1) seek to define metrics by which relative lead-
ership in civil aeronautics research can be deter-
mined; 
(2) ascertain how the United States compares to 
other countries in the field of civil aeronautics re-
search and any relevant trends; and 
(3) provide recommendations on what can be 
done to regain or retain global leadership, includ-
ing— 
(A) identifying research areas where United 
States expertise has been or is at risk of being 
overtaken; 
(B) defining appropriate roles for the Ad-
ministration; 
(C) identifying public-private partnerships 
that could be formed; and 
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(D) estimating the impact on the Adminis-
tration’s budget should such recommendations be 
implemented. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall provide 
the results of the study to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate. 
TITLE V—SPACE TECHNOLOGY 
SEC. 501. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that space technology is crit-
ical to— 
(1) enabling a new class of Administration mis-
sions beyond low-Earth orbit; 
(2) developing technologies and capabilities that 
will make the Administration’s missions more afford-
able and more reliable; and 
(3) improving technological capabilities and pro-
moting innovation for the Administration and the 
Nation. 
SEC. 502. SPACE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 70507 of title 51, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘§ 70507. Space Technology Program authorized 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM
AUTHORIZED.—The Administrator 
shall establish a Space Technology Program to pursue the 
research and development of advanced space technologies 
that have the potential of delivering innovative solutions 
and to support human exploration of the solar system or 
advanced space science. The program established by the Ad-
ministrator shall take into consideration the recommenda-
tions of the National Academies’ review of the Administra-
tion’s Space Technology roadmaps and priorities, as well 
as applicable enabling aspects of the Human Exploration 
Roadmap specified in section 70504. In conducting the 
space technology program established under this section, the 
Administrator shall— 
‘‘(1) to the maximum extent practicable, use a 
competitive process to select projects to be supported 
as part of the program; 
‘‘(2) make use of small satellites and the Admin-
istration’s suborbital and ground-based platforms, to 
the extent practicable and appropriate, to dem-
onstrate space technology concepts and developments; 
and 
‘‘(3) undertake partnerships with other Federal 
agencies, universities, private industry, and other 
spacefaring nations, as appropriate. 
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