I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2616 
To authorize the programs of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration for fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 2016, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 8, 2013 
Ms. EDWARDS (for herself, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. 
WILSON of Florida, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. GRAYSON, Mr. PETERS of Cali-
fornia, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. MAFFEI, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Mr. 
VEASEY, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, and Mr. KILMER) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology 
A BILL 
To authorize the programs of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration for fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 
2016, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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 2013’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
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Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 
Sec. 101. Sense of Congress. 
Sec. 102. Fiscal year 2014. 
Sec. 103. Fiscal year 2015. 
Sec. 104. Fiscal year 2016. 
TITLE II—HUMAN EXPLORATION AND OPERATIONS 
Subtitle A—Exploration 
Sec. 201. Goal. 
Sec. 202. Roadmap. 
Sec. 203. Sense of Congress on international participation. 
Sec. 204. Exploration systems development. 
Sec. 205. Space radiation. 
Sec. 206. Participatory exploration. 
Sec. 207. Sense of Congress on science and exploration. 
Sec. 208. Planetary protection for human exploration missions. 
Subtitle B—International Space Station 
Sec. 211. Objectives and policy. 
Sec. 212. Sense of Congress regarding operation and utilization of the ISS be-
yond 2020. 
Sec. 213. Prohibition on precluding ISS operations beyond 2020. 
Sec. 214. Criteria for extending ISS operations beyond 2020. 
Sec. 215. ISS cargo resupply services lessons learned. 
Sec. 216. Crew transportation to and from the ISS. 
Sec. 217. Commercial crew transportation development independent review. 
Sec. 218. Integrated plan to effect maximum utilization of the ISS. 
Sec. 219. Centrifuge. 
Sec. 220. Management of the ISS National Laboratory. 
Sec. 221. Barriers impeding enhanced utilization of the ISS’s National Labora-
tory by commercial companies. 
Subtitle C—Other Operations 
Sec. 231. Integrated space communications network and infrastructure. 
TITLE III—SCIENCE 
Subtitle A—Space Science 
Sec. 301. Sense of Congress regarding a balanced space science program. 
Sec. 302. Sense of Congress regarding integrated testing of James Webb Space 
Telescope. 
Sec. 303. Sense of Congress regarding WFIRST mission. 
Sec. 304. Astrobiology science strategy. 
Sec. 305. Assessment of Mars architecture. 
Sec. 306. Radioisotope thermoelectric generators. 
Sec. 307. University class science missions. 
Subtitle B—Earth Science 
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Sec. 311. Sense of Congress. 
Sec. 312. Comprehensive Earth observation systems and research program. 
Sec. 313. Study on sustained, long-term measurements. 
Sec. 314. Assessment. 
Sec. 315. Continuity of moderate resolution land imaging remote sensing data. 
Sec. 316. Venture class missions. 
TITLE IV—AERONAUTICS 
Sec. 401. Sense of Congress. 
Sec. 402. Aeronautics research goals. 
Sec. 403. Strategic planning for aeronautics research. 
Sec. 404. Research program to determine perceived impact of sonic booms. 
Sec. 405. Research program to facilitate greater use of composite materials in 
aircraft. 
Sec. 406. Transformative aeronautics research. 
Sec. 407. United States leadership in aeronautics research. 
TITLE V—SPACE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM 
Sec. 501. Sense of Congress. 
Sec. 502. Space technology program. 
TITLE VI—ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT 
Sec. 601. Project and program reserves. 
Sec. 602. Cost estimation. 
Sec. 603. Independent reviews. 
Sec. 604. Avoiding organizational conflicts of interest in major NASA acquisi-
tion programs. 
Sec. 605. Managing termination liability. 
TITLE VII—OTHER PROVISIONS 
Sec. 701. Facilities and infrastructure. 
Sec. 702. NASA education program. 
Sec. 703. Independent review of the National Space Grant College and Fellow-
ship Program. 
Sec. 704. Review of practices to detect and prevent the use of counterfeit parts. 
Sec. 705. Remote satellite servicing demonstrations. 
Sec. 706. Astronaut occupational healthcare. 
Sec. 707. Use of operational commercial suborbital vehicles for research, devel-
opment, and education. 
Sec. 708. Fundamental space life and physical sciences research. 
Sec. 709. Restoring NASA’s commitment to engineering research. 
Sec. 710. Near-Earth objects detection. 
Sec. 711. Research on near-Earth object tsunami effects. 
Sec. 712. Review of orbital debris removal concepts. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
(2) COVERED
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘covered 
program’’ means the International Space Station, 
the Space Launch System, the Orion multipurpose 
crew vehicle, and the James Webb Space Telescope. 
(3) DOE.—The term ‘‘DOE’’ means the De-
partment of Energy. 
(4) ISS.—The term ‘‘ISS’’ means the Inter-
national Space Station. 
(5) NASA.—The term ‘‘NASA’’ means the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
(6) NOAA.—The term ‘‘NOAA’’ means the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
(7) PRIME
CONTRACTOR.—The term ‘‘prime 
contractor’’ means a person or entity contracting di-
rectly with the Federal Government on a covered 
program. 
(8) SAFETY, SECURITY, AND WORKFORCE SUP-
PORT PROGRAMS.—The term ‘‘Safety, Security, and 
Workforce Support Programs’’ means the programs 
and activities accounted for in the ‘‘Cross-Agency 
Support Programs’’ accounts in the National Aero-
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nautics and Space Administration Authorization Act 
of 2010, and subsequent appropriations Acts. 
(9) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF 
APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 101. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that a strong, robust 
NASA program is in the national interest. Ensuring that 
NASA can continue to pursue cutting-edge space and 
aeronautical research and development activities and push 
back the frontier of space exploration requires a sustained 
and adequate commitment in resources. However, NASA’s 
share of the Federal discretionary budgetary authority has 
declined significantly relative to even its post-Apollo his-
torical average. Challenging goals cannot be reached and 
multimission responsibilities cannot be fulfilled with the 
consistent erosion of purchasing power and unstable fund-
ing, which NASA has experienced in recent years. It 
should be a national goal to restore NASA’s funding to 
a level of one percent of the annual Federal budget. 
SEC. 102. FISCAL YEAR 2014. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to NASA for 
fiscal year 2014, $18,100,000,000, as follows: 
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(1) 
For 
Exploration, 
$4,220,800,000, 
of 
which— 
(A) $1,650,000,000 shall be for the Space 
Launch System, $1,230,000,000 shall be for 
the Orion multipurpose crew vehicle, and 
$318,200,000 shall be for Exploration Ground 
Systems; 
(B) $322,600,000 shall be for Exploration 
Research and Development; and 
(C) $700,000,000 shall be for Commercial 
Spaceflight. 
(2) For Space Operations, $3,761,700,000, of 
which— 
(A) $2,927,900,000 shall be for the ISS 
program, of which $230,900,000 shall be for 
ISS research; and 
(B) $833,800,000 shall be for Space and 
Flight Support. 
(3) For Science, $5,300,300,000, of which— 
(A) $1,846,100,000 shall be for Earth 
Sciences; 
(B) $1,500,000,000 shall be for Planetary 
Science; 
(C) $642,300,000 shall be for Astro-
physics; 
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(D) $658,200,000 shall be for the James 
Webb Space Telescope; and 
(E) 
$653,700,000 
shall 
be 
for 
Heliophysics. 
(4) For Aeronautics, $569,400,000. 
(5) For Space Technology, $615,000,000. 
(6) For Education, $136,100,000. 
(7) For Safety, Security, and Workforce Sup-
port Programs, $2,850,300,000. 
(8) For Construction and Environmental Com-
pliance and Restoration, $609,400,000,000, of which 
$142,300,000 shall be for Exploration Construction 
of Facilities. 
(9) For Inspector General, $37,000,000. 
SEC. 103. FISCAL YEAR 2015. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to NASA for 
fiscal year 2015, $18,462,000,000, as follows: 
(1) 
For 
Exploration, 
$4,436,200,000, 
of 
which— 
(A) $1,750,000,000 shall be for the Space 
Launch System, $1,235,000,000 shall be for 
the Orion multipurpose crew vehicle, and 
$408,400,000 shall be for Exploration Ground 
Systems; 
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TITLE II—HUMAN EXPLORATION 
AND OPERATIONS 
Subtitle A—Exploration 
SEC. 201. GOAL. 
The goal of NASA’s Exploration program shall be to 
successfully conduct a crewed mission to the surface of 
Mars to begin the human exploration of that planet as 
part of a broader national goal of human and robotic ex-
ploration of the solar system. NASA’s exploration activi-
ties and investments shall be organized towards the 
achievement of that goal. Potential exploration and utiliza-
tion of the Moon, cis-lunar space, near-Earth asteroids, 
Lagrangian points, and Martian moons may be pursued 
as interim destinations to the extent that they make sig-
nificant contributions to the achievement of that goal. 
SEC. 202. ROADMAP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall establish 
a roadmap to guide NASA’s planning for the achievement 
of the goal established in section 201. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The roadmap shall include 
information on the phasing of planned intermediate 
destinations, Mars mission risk areas and potential 
risk mitigation approaches, technology requirements 
and phasing of required technology development ac-
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tivities, the management strategy to be followed, re-
lated ISS activities, any planned international col-
laborative activities, potential commercial contribu-
tions, and other activities relevant to the achieve-
ment of the goal established in section 201. 
(2) INITIAL
ROADMAP
REQUIREMENT.—The 
first roadmap transmitted under subsection (c)(1) 
shall also include an explicit analysis of— 
(A) the technical requirements for pur-
suing a roadmap to Mars that includes a 
human and robotic return to the lunar surface; 
(B) the extent to which inclusion of that 
intermediate destination would assist in the 
achievement of the goal established in section 
201; and 
(C) the scope of international participation 
that might be anticipated and the potential ben-
efits from such participation if such an inter-
mediate destination were to be selected. 
(3) PARTICIPATION.—The development of the 
roadmap shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
involve the participation of the ISS partnership in 
its preparation. 
(c) TRANSMITTAL.— 
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(1) INITIAL
ROADMAP
DEADLINE.—The first 
roadmap shall be transmitted to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate concur-
rently with its submission to the Office of Manage-
ment and Budget and prior to when the budget for 
fiscal year 2015 is transmitted to Congress under 
section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code. 
(2) ANNUAL UPDATE.—The roadmap shall be 
updated annually and transmitted to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate with the 
budget for that fiscal year transmitted to Congress 
under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 203. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON INTERNATIONAL PAR-
TICIPATION. 
It is the sense of Congress that the President should 
invite the United States partners in the ISS program and 
other nations, as appropriate, to participate in an inter-
national initiative under the leadership of the United 
States to achieve the goal of successfully conducting a 
crewed mission to the surface of Mars. 
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SEC. 204. EXPLORATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Given the critical importance of 
a heavy-lift launch vehicle and crewed spacecraft to enable 
the achievement of the goal established in section 201, as 
well as to the accomplishment of intermediate exploration 
milestones and the provision of a backup capability to 
transfer crew and cargo to the ISS, the Administrator 
shall make the expeditious development, test, and achieve-
ment of operational readiness of the Space Launch System 
and the Orion multipurpose crew vehicle the highest pri-
ority of the Exploration program. In order to promote 
safety and reduce programmatic risk, the Administrator 
shall budget for and undertake a robust ground test and 
uncrewed and crewed flight test and demonstration pro-
gram for the Space Launch System and the Orion multi-
purpose crew vehicle and shall budget for an operational 
flight rate sufficient to maintain safety and operational 
readiness. 
(b) GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE RE-
VIEW.—Not later than 270 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Comptroller General 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 NASA’s acquisition of ground systems in support of 
the Space Launch System. The report shall assess the ex-
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tent to which NASA’s exploration systems development of 
ground systems is focused on the direct support of the 
Space Launch System and shall identify any ground sup-
port projects or activities that NASA is undertaking that 
do not solely or primarily support the Space Launch Sys-
tem. 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the President’s annual budget requests for the 
Space Launch System and Orion multipurpose crew vehi-
cle development, test, and operational phases should strive 
to accurately reflect the resource requirements of each of 
those phases, consistent with subsection (a). 
SEC. 205. SPACE RADIATION. 
(a) STRATEGY AND PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall de-
velop a space radiation mitigation and management 
strategy and implementation plan to enable the 
achievement of the goal established in section 201 
that includes key research and monitoring require-
ments, milestones, a timetable, and an estimate of 
facility and budgetary requirements. 
(2) COORDINATION.—The strategy shall include 
a mechanism for coordinating NASA research, tech-
nology, facilities, engineering, operations, and other 
functions required to support the strategy and plan. 
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