SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘National Aeronautics and Space Administration Author-
ization Act of 2008’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL 
YEAR 2009 
Sec. 101. Fiscal year 2009. 
TITLE II—EARTH SCIENCE 
Sec. 201. Goal. 
Sec. 202. Governance of United States Earth Observations activities. 
Sec. 203. Decadal survey missions. 
Sec. 204. Transitioning experimental research into operational services. 
Sec. 205. Landsat thermal infrared data continuity. 
Sec. 206. Reauthorization of Glory Mission. 
Sec. 207. Plan for disposition of Deep Space Climate Observatory. 
Sec. 208. Tornadoes. 
Sec. 209. Sharing weather research. 
TITLE III—AERONAUTICS 
Sec. 301. Environmentally friendly aircraft research and development initiative. 
Sec. 302. Research alignment. 
Sec. 303. Research program to determine perceived impact of sonic booms. 
Sec. 304. External review of NASA’s aviation safety-related research programs. 
Sec. 305. Interagency research initiative on the impact of aviation on the cli-
mate. 
Sec. 306. Research on design for certification. 
Sec. 307. Aviation weather research. 
Sec. 308. Joint Aeronautics Research and Development Advisory Committee. 
Sec. 309. Funding for research and development activities in support of other 
mission directorates. 
Sec. 310. University-based centers for research on aviation training. 
TITLE IV—INTERNATIONAL EXPLORATION INITIATIVE 
Sec. 401. Sense of Congress. 
Sec. 402. Stepping stone approach to exploration. 
Sec. 403. Lunar outpost. 
Sec. 404. Exploration technology development. 
Sec. 405. Exploration risk mitigation plan. 
Sec. 406. Exploration crew rescue.
Sec. 407. Participatory exploration. 
Sec. 408. Science and exploration. 
Sec. 409. Congressional Budget Office report update. 
TITLE V—SPACE SCIENCE 
Sec. 501. Technology development. 
Sec. 502. Provision for future servicing of observatory-class scientific space-
craft. 
Sec. 503. Mars exploration. 
Sec. 504. Importance of a balanced science program. 
Sec. 505. Restoration of radioisotope thermoelectric generator material produc-
tion. 
Sec. 506. Assessment of impediments to interagency cooperation on space and 
Earth science missions. 
Sec. 507. Assessment of cost growth. 
Sec. 508. Outer planets exploration. 
TITLE VI—SPACE OPERATIONS 
Subtitle A—International Space Station 
Sec. 601. Utilization. 
Sec. 602. Research management plan. 
Sec. 603. Contingency plan for cargo resupply. 
Subtitle B—Space Shuttle 
Sec. 611. Flight manifest. 
Sec. 612. Disposition of shuttle-related assets. 
Sec. 613. Space Shuttle transition liaison office. 
Subtitle C—Launch Services 
Sec. 621. Launch services strategy. 
TITLE VII—EDUCATION 
Sec. 701. Response to review. 
Sec. 702. External review of Explorer Schools program. 
Sec. 703. Sense of Congress. 
TITLE VIII—NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS 
Sec. 801. In general. 
Sec. 802. Findings. 
Sec. 803. Requests for information. 
Sec. 804. Establishment of policy. 
Sec. 805. Planetary radar capability. 
Sec. 806. Arecibo Observatory. 
Sec. 807. International resources. 
TITLE IX—COMMERCIAL INITIATIVES 
Sec. 901. Sense of Congress. 
Sec. 902. Commercial crew initiative. 
TITLE X—REVITALIZATION OF NASA INSTITUTIONAL 
CAPABILITIES
Sec. 1001. Review of information security controls. 
Sec. 1002. Maintenance and upgrade of Center facilities. 
Sec. 1003. Assessment of NASA laboratory capabilities. 
TITLE XI—OTHER PROVISIONS 
Sec. 1101. Space weather. 
Sec. 1102. Space traffic management. 
Sec. 1103. Study of export control policies related to civil and commercial space 
activities. 
Sec. 1104. Astronaut health care. 
Sec. 1105. National Academies decadal surveys. 
Sec. 1106. Innovation prizes. 
Sec. 1107. Commercial space launch range study. 
Sec. 1108. NASA outreach and technology assistance program. 
Sec. 1109. Reduction-in-force moratorium. 
Sec. 1110. Limit on the use of term positions. 
Sec. 1111. Temporary continuation of coverage of health benefits. 
Sec. 1112. Sense of Congress. 
Sec. 1113. Sense of Congress regarding the need for a robust workforce. 
Sec. 1114. Exception to alternative fuel procurement requirement. 
Sec. 1115. Christa McAuliffe scholarship program for fields related to the mis-
sion of NASA. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds, on this, the 50th anniversary of 
the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, the following: 
(1) NASA is and should remain a multimission 
agency with a balanced and robust set of core mis-
sions in science, aeronautics, and human space flight 
and exploration. 
(2) Investment in NASA’s programs will pro-
mote innovation through research and development, 
and will improve the competitiveness of the United 
States. 
(3) Investment in NASA’s programs, like in-
vestments in other Federal science and technology 
activities, is an investment in our future.
(4) Properly structured, NASA’s activities can 
contribute to an improved quality of life, economic 
vitality, United States leadership in peaceful co-
operation with other nations on challenging under-
takings in science and technology, national security, 
and the advancement of knowledge. 
(5) NASA should assume a leadership role in a 
cooperative international Earth observations and re-
search effort to address key research issues associ-
ated with climate change and its impacts on the 
Earth system. 
(6) NASA should undertake a program of aero-
nautical research, development, and where appro-
priate demonstration activities with the overarching 
goals of— 
(A) ensuring that the Nation’s future air 
transportation system can handle up to 3 times 
the current travel demand and incorporate new 
vehicle types with no degradation in safety or 
adverse environmental impact on local commu-
nities; 
(B) protecting the environment; 
(C) promoting the security of the Nation; 
and
(D) retaining the leadership of the United 
States in global aviation. 
(7) Human and robotic exploration of the solar 
system will be a significant long term undertaking of 
humanity in the 21st century and beyond, and it is 
in the national interest that the United States 
should assume a leadership role in a cooperative 
international exploration initiative. 
(8) Developing United States human space 
flight capabilities to allow independent American ac-
cess to the International Space Station, and to ex-
plore beyond low Earth orbit, is a strategically im-
portant national imperative, and all prudent steps 
should thus be taken to bring the Orion Crew Explo-
ration Vehicle and Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle to 
full operational capability as soon as practicable. 
(9) NASA’s scientific research activities have 
contributed much to the advancement of knowledge, 
provided societal benefits, and helped train the next 
generation of scientists and engineers, and those ac-
tivities should continue to be an important priority. 
(10) NASA should make a sustained commit-
ment to a robust long-term technology development 
activity. Such investments represent the critically 
important ‘‘seed corn’’ on which NASA’s ability to
carry out challenging and productive missions in the 
future will depend. 
(11) NASA, through its pursuit of challenging 
and relevant activities, can provide an important 
stimulus to the next generation to pursue careers in 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 
(12) Commercial activities have substantially 
contributed to the strength of both the United 
States space program and the national economy, and 
the development of a healthy and robust United 
States commercial space sector should continue to be 
encouraged. 
(13) It is in the national interest for the United 
States to have an export control policy that protects 
the national security while also enabling the United 
States aerospace industry to compete effectively in 
the global market place and the United States to un-
dertake cooperative programs in science and human 
space flight in an effective and efficient manner. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of NASA. 
(2) NASA.—The term ‘‘NASA’’ means the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(3) NOAA.—The term ‘‘NOAA’’ means the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
(4) OSTP.—The term ‘‘OSTP’’ means the Of-
fice of Science and Technology Policy. 
TITLE 
I—AUTHORIZATION 
OF 
APPROPRIATIONS 
FOR 
FIS-
CAL YEAR 2009 
SEC. 101. FISCAL YEAR 2009. 
(a) BASELINE AUTHORIZATION.—There are author-
ized to be appropriated to NASA for fiscal year 2009 
$19,210,000,000, as follows: 
(1) For Science, $4,932,200,000, of which— 
(A) $1,518,000,000 shall be for Earth 
Science, including $29,200,000 for suborbital 
activities and $2,500,000 for carrying out sec-
tion 313 of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration Authorization Act of 2005 
(Public Law 109–155); 
(B) $1,483,000,000 shall be for Planetary 
Science, including $486,500,000 for the Mars 
Exploration program, $2,000,000 to continue 
planetary radar operations at the Arecibo Ob-
servatory in support of the Near-Earth Object 
program, and $5,000,000 for radioisotope ma-
terial production, to remain available until ex-
pended; 
(C) $1,290,400,000 shall be for Astro-
physics, including $27,300,000 for suborbital 
activities; 
(D) 
$640,800,000 
shall 
be 
for 
Heliophysics, including $50,000,000 for sub-
orbital activities; and 
(E) $75,000,000 shall be for Cross-Science 
Mission Directorate Technology Development, 
to be taken on a proportional basis from the 
funding subtotals under subparagraphs (A), 
(B), (C), and (D). 
(2) For Aeronautics, $853,400,000, of which 
$406,900,000 shall be for system-level research, de-
velopment, and demonstration activities related to— 
(A) aviation safety; 
(B) environmental impact mitigation, in-
cluding noise, energy efficiency, and emissions; 
(C) support of the Next Generation Air 
Transportation System initiative; and 
(D) investigation of new vehicle concepts 
and flight regimes. 
(3) For Exploration, $3,886,000,000, of which 
$100,000,000 shall be for the activities under sec-
tions 902(b) and 902(d); and $737,800,000 shall be 
for Advanced Capabilities, including $106,300,000 
for 
the 
Lunar 
Precursor 
Robotic 
Program, 
$276,500,000 for International Space Station-re-
lated research and development activities, and 
$355,000,000 for research and development activi-
ties not related to the International Space Station. 
(4) For Education, $128,300,000. 
(5) For Space Operations, $6,074,700,000, of 
which— 
(A) $150,000,000 shall be for an addi-
tional Space Shuttle flight to deliver the Alpha 
Magnetic Spectrometer to the International 
Space Station; 
(B) $100,000,000 shall be to augment 
funding for International Space Station Cargo 
Services to enhance research utilization of the 
International Space Station, to remain available 
until expended; and 
(C) $50,000,000 shall be to augment fund-
ing for Space Operations Mission Directorate 
reserves and Shuttle Transition and Retirement 
activities. 
(6) For Cross-Agency Support Programs, 
$3,299,900,000.
(7) For Inspector General, $35,500,000. 
(b) ADDITIONAL
AUTHORIZATION
TO
ADDRESS 
HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT GAP.—In addition to the sums 
authorized by subsection (a), there are authorized to be 
appropriated for the purposes described in subsection 
(a)(3) $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, to be used to 
accelerate the initial operational capability of the Orion 
Crew Exploration Vehicle and the Ares I Crew Launch 
Vehicle and associated ground support systems, to remain 
available until expended. 
TITLE II—EARTH SCIENCE 
SEC. 201. GOAL. 
The goal for NASA’s Earth Science program shall 
be to pursue a program of Earth observations, research, 
and applications activities to better understand the Earth, 
how it supports life, and how human activities affect its 
ability to do so in the future. In pursuit of this goal, 
NASA’s Earth Science program shall ensure that securing 
practical benefits for society will be an important measure 
of its success in addition to securing new knowledge about 
the Earth system and climate change. In further pursuit 
of this goal, NASA shall assume a leadership role in devel-
oping and carrying out a cooperative international Earth 
observations-based research and applications program.
SEC. 202. GOVERNANCE OF UNITED STATES EARTH OBSER-
VATIONS ACTIVITIES. 
(a) STUDY.—The Director of the OSTP shall enter 
into an arrangement with the National Academies for a 
study to determine the most appropriate governance struc-
ture for United States Earth Observations programs in 
order to meet evolving United States Earth information 
needs and facilitate United States participation in global 
Earth Observations initiatives. 
(b) REPORT.—The Director shall transmit the study 
to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 
18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
shall provide OSTP’s plan for implementing the study’s 
recommendations not later than 24 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 203. DECADAL SURVEY MISSIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The missions recommended in the 
National Academies’ decadal survey ‘‘Earth Science and 
Applications from Space’’ provide the basis for a compel-
ling and relevant program of research and applications, 
and the Administrator should work to establish an inter-
national cooperative effort to pursue those missions. 
(b) PLAN.—The Administrator shall prepare a plan 
for submission to Congress not later than 270 days after
the date of enactment of this Act that shall describe how 
NASA intends to implement the missions recommended 
as described in subsection (a), whether by means of dedi-
cated NASA missions, multi-agency missions, inter-
national cooperative missions, data sharing, or commercial 
data buys, or by means of long-term technology develop-
ment to determine whether specific missions would be exe-
cutable at a reasonable cost and within a reasonable 
schedule. 
SEC. 204. TRANSITIONING EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH INTO 
OPERATIONAL SERVICES. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Con-
gress that experimental NASA sensors and missions that 
have the potential to benefit society if transitioned into 
operational monitoring systems be transitioned into oper-
ational status whenever possible. 
(b) INTERAGENCY
PROCESS.—The Director of 
OSTP, in consultation with the Administrator, the Admin-
istrator of NOAA, and other relevant stakeholders, shall 
develop a process to transition, when appropriate, NASA 
Earth science and space weather missions or sensors into 
operational status. The process shall include coordination 
of annual agency budget requests as required to execute 
the transitions.
(c) RESPONSIBLE AGENCY OFFICIAL.—The Adminis-
trator and the Administrator of NOAA shall each des-
ignate an agency official who shall have the responsibility 
for and authority to lead NASA’s and NOAA’s transition 
activities and interagency coordination. 
(d) PLAN.—For each mission or sensor that is deter-
mined to be appropriate for transition under subsection 
(b), NASA and NOAA shall transmit to Congress a joint 
plan for conducting the transition. The plan shall include 
the strategy, milestones, and budget required to execute 
the transition. The transition plan shall be transmitted to 
Congress not later than 60 days after the successful com-
pletion of the mission or sensor critical design review. 
SEC. 205. LANDSAT THERMAL INFRARED DATA CON-
TINUITY. 
(a) PLAN.—In view of the importance of Landsat 
thermal infrared data for both scientific research and 
water management applications, the Administrator shall 
prepare a plan for ensuring the continuity of Landsat 
thermal infrared data or its equivalent, including alloca-
tion of costs and responsibility for the collection and dis-
tribution of the data, and a budget plan. As part of the 
plan, the Administrator shall provide an option for devel-
oping a thermal infrared sensor at minimum cost to be 
flown on the Landsat Data Continuity Mission with min-
imum delay to the schedule of the Landsat Data Con-
tinuity Mission. 
(b) DEADLINE.—The plan shall be provided to Con-
gress not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 206. REAUTHORIZATION OF GLORY MISSION. 
(a) 
REAUTHORIZATION.—Congress 
reauthorizes 
NASA to continue with development of the Glory Mission, 
which will examine how aerosols and solar energy affect 
the Earth’s climate. 
(b) BASELINE REPORT.—Pursuant to the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act 
of 2005 (Public Law 109–155), not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall transmit a new baseline report consistent with sec-
tion 103(b)(2) of such Act. The report shall include an 
analysis of the factors contributing to cost growth and the 
steps taken to address them. 
SEC. 207. PLAN FOR DISPOSITION OF DEEP SPACE CLIMATE 
OBSERVATORY. 
(a) PLAN.—NASA shall develop a plan for the Deep 
Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), including such 
options as using the parts of the spacecraft in the develop-
ment and assembly of other science missions, transferring 
the spacecraft to another agency, reconfiguring the space-
craft for another Earth science mission, establishing a 
public-private partnership for the mission, and entering 
into an international cooperative partnership to use the 
spacecraft for its primary or other purposes. The plan 
shall include an estimate of budgetary resources and 
schedules required to implement each of the options. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—NASA shall consult, as nec-
essary, with other Federal agencies, industry, academic in-
stitutions, and international space agencies in developing 
the plan. 
(c) REPORT.—The Administrator shall transmit the 
plan required under subsection (a) to the Committee on 
Science and Technology of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 208. TORNADOES. 
The Administrator shall ensure that NASA gives high 
priority to those parts of its existing cooperative activities 
with NOAA that are related to the study of tornadoes, 
tornado-force winds, and other factors determined to influ-
ence the development of tornadoes, with the goal of im-
proving the Nation’s ability to predict tornado events. 
Further, the Administrator shall examine whether there
are additional cooperative activities with NOAA that 
should be undertaken in the area of tornado research. 
SEC. 209. SHARING WEATHER RESEARCH. 
The Administrator shall work to ensure that NASA’s 
policies on the sharing of climate related data respond to 
the recommendations of the Government Accountability 
Office’s report on climate change research and data-shar-
ing policies and to the recommendations on the processing, 
distribution, and archiving of data by the National Acad-
emies Earth Science Decadal Survey, Earth Science and 
Applications from Space, and other relevant National 
Academies reports, to enhance and facilitate their avail-
ability and widest possible use to ensure public access to 
accurate and current data on global warming. 
TITLE III—AERONAUTICS 
SEC. 301. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AIRCRAFT RE-
SEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. 
The Administrator shall establish an initiative involv-
ing NASA, universities, industry, and other research orga-
nizations as appropriate, of research, development, and 
demonstration, in a relevant environment, of technologies 
to enable the following commercial aircraft performance 
characteristics: 
(1) Noise levels on takeoff and on airport ap-
proach and landing that do not exceed ambient noise
levels in the absence of flight operations in the vicin-
ity of airports from which such commercial aircraft 
would normally operate, without increasing energy 
consumption or nitrogen oxide emissions compared 
to aircraft in commercial service as of the date of 
enactment of this Act. 
(2) Significant reductions in greenhouse gas 
emissions compared to aircraft in commercial serv-
ices as of the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 302. RESEARCH ALIGNMENT. 
In addition to pursuing the research and development 
initiative described in section 301, the Administrator shall, 
to the maximum extent practicable within available fund-
ing, align the fundamental aeronautics research program 
to address high priority technology challenges of the Na-
tional Academies’ Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics, 
and shall work to increase the degree of involvement of 
external organizations, and especially of universities, in 
the fundamental aeronautics research program. 
SEC. 303. RESEARCH PROGRAM TO DETERMINE PERCEIVED 
IMPACT OF SONIC BOOMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The ability to fly commercial air-
craft over land at supersonic speeds without adverse im-
pacts on the environment or on local communities would 
open new markets and enable new transportation capabili-
ties. In order to have the basis for establishing an appro-
priate sonic boom standard for such flight operations, a 
research program is needed to assess the impact in a rel-
evant environment of commercial supersonic flight oper-
ations. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator shall es-
tablish a cooperative research program with industry, in-
cluding the conduct of flight demonstrations in a relevant 
environment, to collect data on the perceived impact of 
sonic booms that would enable the promulgation of a 
standard that would have to be met for overland commer-
cial supersonic flight operations. 
(c) COORDINATION.—The Administrator shall ensure 
that sonic boom research is coordinated as appropriate 
with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration, and as appropriate make use of the expertise of 
the Partnership for Air Transportation Noise and Emis-
sions Reduction Center of Excellence sponsored by NASA 
and the Federal Aviation Administration. 
SEC. 304. EXTERNAL REVIEW OF NASA’S AVIATION SAFETY- 
RELATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS. 
(a) REVIEW.—The Administrator shall enter into an 
arrangement with the National Research Council for an 
independent review of NASA’s aviation safety-related re-
search programs. The review shall assess whether—
(1) the programs have well-defined, prioritized, 
and appropriate research objectives; 
(2) the programs are properly coordinated with 
the safety research programs of the Federal Aviation 
Administration and other relevant Federal agencies; 
(3) the programs have allocated appropriate re-
sources to each of the research objectives; and 
(4) suitable mechanisms exist for transitioning 
the research results from the programs into oper-
ational technologies and procedures and certification 
activities in a timely manner. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 14 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Science and Technology of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
on the results of the review. 
SEC. 305. INTERAGENCY RESEARCH INITIATIVE ON THE IM-
PACT OF AVIATION ON THE CLIMATE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration, in coordination with NASA and 
the United States Climate Change Science Program, shall 
establish a research initiative to assess the impact of avia-
tion on the climate and, if warranted, to evaluate ap-
proaches to mitigate that impact.
(b) RESEARCH PLAN.—Not later than one year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the participating Fed-
eral entities shall jointly develop a plan for the research 
program that contains the objectives, proposed tasks, mile-
stones, and 5-year budgetary profile. 
SEC. 306. RESEARCH ON DESIGN FOR CERTIFICATION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—Not later than 
6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Fed-
eral Aviation Administration, in consultation with other 
agencies as appropriate, shall establish a research pro-
gram on methods to improve both confidence in and the 
timeliness of certification of new technologies for their in-
troduction into the national airspace system. 
(b) RESEARCH PLAN.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, as part of the activity 
described in subsection (a), the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration shall develop a plan for the research program that 
contains the objectives, proposed tasks, milestones, and 
five-year budgetary profile. 
(c) REVIEW.—The Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration shall have the National Research 
Council conduct an independent review of the research 
program plan and provide the results of that review to 
the Committee on Science and Technology and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 
18 months after the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 307. AVIATION WEATHER RESEARCH. 
The Administrator shall establish a program of col-
laborative research with NOAA on convective weather 
events, with the goal of significantly improving the reli-
ability of 2-hour to 6-hour aviation weather forecasts. 
SEC. 308. JOINT AERONAUTICS RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—A joint Aeronautics Research 
and Development Advisory Committee (in this section re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Advisory Committee’’) shall be estab-
lished. 
(b) DUTIES.—The Advisory Committee shall— 
(1) make recommendations regarding the co-
ordination of research and development activities of 
NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration; 
(2) make recommendations for and monitor de-
velopment and implementation of processes for 
transitioning research and development from NASA 
and the Federal Aviation Administration to external 
entities for further development as appropriate; 
(3) make recommendations regarding the status 
of the activities of NASA and the Federal Aviation
Administration’s research and development pro-
grams as they relate to the recommendations con-
tained in the National Research Council’s 2006 re-
port entitled ‘‘Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics’’, 
and the recommendations contained in subsequent 
National Research Council reports of a similar na-
ture; and 
(4) not later than March 15 of each year, 
transmit a report to the Administrator, the Adminis-
trator of the Federal Aviation Administration, the 
Committee on Science and Technology of the House 
of Representatives, and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on 
the Advisory Committee’s findings and recommenda-
tions under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3). 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.—The Advisory Committee shall 
consist of 10 members, none of whom shall be a Federal 
employee, including— 
(1) 5 members selected by the Administrator; 
and 
(2) 5 members selected by the Chair of the 
Federal Aviation Administration’s Research, Engi-
neering, and Development Advisory Committee 
(REDAC).
(d) SELECTION PROCESS.—Initial selections under 
subsection (c) shall be made within 3 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act. Vacancies shall be filled 
in the same manner as provided in subsection (c). 
(e) CHAIRPERSON.—The Advisory Committee shall 
select a chairperson from among its members. 
(f) COORDINATION.—The Advisory Committee shall 
coordinate with the advisory bodies of other Federal agen-
cies, which may engage in related research activities. 
(g) COMPENSATION.—The members of the Advisory 
Committee shall serve without compensation, but shall re-
ceive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsist-
ence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 
5, United States Code. 
(h) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Committee shall con-
vene, in person or by electronic means, at least 4 times 
per year. 
(i) QUORUM.—A majority of the members serving on 
the Advisory Committee shall constitute a quorum for pur-
poses of conducting the business of the Advisory Com-
mittee. 
(j) DURATION.—Section 14 of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act shall not apply to the Advisory Committee.
SEC. 309. FUNDING FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF OTHER MISSION 
DIRECTORATES. 
Research and development activities performed by the 
Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate with the pri-
mary objective of assisting in the development of a flight 
project in another Mission Directorate shall be funded by 
the Mission Directorate seeking assistance. 
SEC. 310. UNIVERSITY-BASED CENTERS FOR RESEARCH ON 
AVIATION TRAINING. 
Section 427(a) of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005 (Public 
Law 109–155) is amended by striking ‘‘may’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘shall’’. 
TITLE IV—INTERNATIONAL 
EXPLORATION INITIATIVE 
SEC. 401. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the President of the 
United States should invite America’s friends and allies 
to participate in a long-term international initiative under 
the leadership of the United States to expand human and 
robotic presence into the solar system, including the explo-
ration and utilization of the Moon, near Earth asteroids, 
Lagrangian points, and eventually Mars and its moons, 
among other exploration and utilization goals. When ap-
propriate, the United States should lead confidence build-