Advancing Human Spaceflight Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.5250 | Sponsor: Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. (D-TX)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Advancing Human Spaceflight Act of 2021
This bill establishes programs and policies pertaining to human presence in space.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shall
The bill declares that it is U.S. policy to continuously maintain the capability for a continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit through and beyond the useful life of the International Space Station (ISS) and that such capability shall
NASA shall ensure that the ISS remains a viable and productive facility capable of potential U.S. use through at least FY2030.
NASA must submit a strategy that includes how it will transition to a successor platform to the ISS.
The Office of Science and Technology Policy shall conduct a study on the manner in which NASA funds missions of national need.

To extend the commitment of the United States to the International 
  Space Station, to develop advanced space suits, and to authorize a 
    stepping stone approach to exploration, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Advancing Human Spaceflight Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Apollo 11 landing on July 20, 1969, marked the 
        first steps of a human being on the surface of another world, 
        representing a giant leap for all humanity and a significant 
        demonstration of the spaceflight capabilities of the United 
        States.
            (2) Section 202(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18312(a)) 
        establishes for the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration the long-term goals of expanding human presence 
        in space and establishing a thriving space economy in low-Earth 
        orbit and beyond.
            (3) The 2017 National Security Strategy designates the 
        human exploration of the solar system as a strategic priority 
        for the United States.
            (4) Establishing and ensuring the sustainability of human 
        space exploration of the solar system, as called for in the 
        Space Policy Directive-1 entitled ``Reinvigorating America's 
        Human Space Exploration Program'' (82 Fed. Reg. 239 (December 
        11, 2017)) and the National Space Exploration Campaign Report 
        of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration issued in 
        September 2018, will require carrying out human exploration and 
        related extravehicular activities on the surface of other 
        celestial bodies in a safe and cost-effective manner.
            (5) The Johnson Space Center has decades of experience 
        working with international partners, other Federal agencies, 
        and partners in industry and academia to study, develop, and 
        carry out the human spaceflight priorities of the United 
        States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
        National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
            (2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration.
            (3) Johnson space center.--The term ``Johnson Space 
        Center'' means the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, 
        Texas.
            (4) NASA.--The term ``NASA'' means the National Aeronautics 
        and Space Administration.

SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that the United States should support 
efforts to establish a long-term human settlement in space.

SEC. 5. STATEMENT OF POLICY ON PERMANENT ESTABLISHMENT OF HUMAN 
              PRESENCE CAPABILITY IN LOW-EARTH ORBIT.

    It is the policy of the United States--
            (1) to continuously maintain the capability for a 
        continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit through and beyond 
        the useful life of the International Space Station; and
            (2) that such capability shall--
                    (A) maintain the global leadership of the United 
                States and relationships with partners and allies;
                    (B) contribute to the general welfare of the United 
                States; and
                    (C) leverage commercial capabilities to promote 
                affordability so as not to preclude a robust portfolio 
                of other human space exploration activities.

SEC. 6. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

    (a) Continuation of International Space Station.--Section 501(a) of 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 
2010 (42 U.S.C. 18351(a)) is amended by striking ``2024'' and inserting 
``2030''.
    (b) Continued Operations and Maintenance of United States Segment 
of International Space Station.--Section 503(a) of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 
U.S.C. 18353(a)) is amended by striking ``2024'' and inserting 
``2030''.
    (c) Research Capacity Allocation and Integration of Research 
Payloads.--Section 504(d) of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18354(d)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), in the first sentence, by striking 
        ``2024'' and inserting ``2030''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2), in the third sentence, by striking 
        ``2024'' and inserting ``2030''.
    (d) Maintaining Use Through at Least 2030.--Section 70907 of title 
51, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``2024'' and 
        inserting ``2030'';
            (2) in subsection (a), by striking ``2024'' and inserting 
        ``2030''; and
            (3) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ``2024'' and 
        inserting ``2030''.
    (e) Transition Strategy.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 300 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to 
        the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
        the House of Representatives a strategy that--
                    (A) describes the manner in which the 
                Administration will ensure a stepwise transition to an 
                eventual successor platform consistent with the ISS 
                Transition Principles specified in the International 
                Space Station Transition Report issued pursuant to 
                section 50111(c)(2) of title 51, United States Code, on 
                March 30, 2018;
                    (B) includes capability-driven milestones and 
                timelines leading to such a transition;
                    (C) takes into account the importance of 
                maintaining workforce expertise, core capabilities, and 
                continuity at the centers of the Administration, 
                including such centers that are primarily focused on 
                human spaceflight;
                    (D) considers how any transition described in 
                subparagraph (A) affects international and commercial 
                partnerships;
                    (E) presents opportunities for future engagement 
                with--
                            (i) international partners;
                            (ii) countries with growing spaceflight 
                        capabilities, if such engagement is not 
                        precluded by other provisions of law;
                            (iii) the scientific community, including 
                        the microgravity research community;
                            (iv) the private sector; and
                            (v) other United States Government users; 
                        and
                    (F) promotes the continued economic development of 
                low-Earth orbit.
            (2) Implementation plan.--The strategy required by 
        paragraph (1) shall include an implementation plan describing 
        the manner in which the Administration plans to carry out such 
        strategy.
            (3) Report.--Not less frequently than biennially, the 
        Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives 
        a report on the implementation of the strategy required by 
        paragraph (1).

SEC. 7. ADVANCED SPACE SUITS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Space suits and associated extravehicular activity 
        technologies (in this section referred to as ``EVA 
        technologies'') are critical space exploration technologies.
            (2) The civil service workforce of the Administration at 
        the Johnson Space Center has unique capabilities to integrate, 
        design, and validate space suits and associated EVA 
        technologies.
            (3) Maintaining a strong core competency in the design, 
        development, manufacture, and operation of space suits and 
        related technologies allows the Administration to be an 
        informed purchaser of competitively awarded commercial space 
        suits and associated EVA technologies.
            (4) The Administration should fully use the International 
        Space Station by 2025 to test future space suits and associated 
        EVA technologies to reduce risk and improve safety.
    (b) Space Suits.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator shall establish a 
        program to develop next-generation space suits and associated 
        EVA technologies.
            (2) Support for program.--The Director of the Johnson Space 
        Center shall support the program established under paragraph 
        (1).
            (3) Accommodation of diverse astronaut corps.--The 
        Administrator shall ensure that space suits developed and 
        manufactured after the date of the enactment of this Act 
        accommodate a wide range of sizes of astronauts so as to meet 
        the needs of the diverse NASA astronaut corps.
            (4) Agreements with private entities.--In carrying out this 
        subsection, the Administrator may--
                    (A) enter into 1 or more agreements with 1 or more 
                industry-proven space suit design, development, and 
                manufacturing suppliers; and
                    (B) leverage--
                            (i) prior and existing investments in 
                        advanced space suit technologies; and
                            (ii) existing capabilities at NASA centers.

SEC. 8. HUMAN SPACE FACILITIES IN AND BEYOND LOW-EARTH ORBIT.

    (a) Human Space Facility Defined.--In this section, the term 
``human space facility'' means a structure for use in or beyond low-
Earth orbit that supports, or has the potential to support, human life.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that human 
space facilities play a significant role in the long-term pursuit by 
the Administration of the exploration goals under section 202(a) of the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 
(42 U.S.C. 18312(a)).
    (c) Report on Crewed and Uncrewed Human Space Facilities.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to 
        the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
        the House of Representatives a report on the potential 
        development of 1 or more human space facilities.
            (2) Contents.--With respect to the potential development of 
        each human space facility referred to in paragraph (1), the 
        report required under such paragraph shall include a 
        description of the following:
                    (A) The capacity of the human space facility to 
                advance, enable, or complement human exploration of the 
                solar system, including human exploration of the 
                atmosphere and the surface of celestial bodies.
                    (B) The role of the human space facility as a 
                staging, logistics, and operations hub in exploration 
                architecture.
                    (C) The capacity of the human space facility to 
                support the research, development, testing, validation, 
                operation, and launch of space exploration systems and 
                technologies.
                    (D) Opportunities and strategies for commercial 
                operation or public-private partnerships with respect 
                to the human space facility that protect taxpayer 
                interests and foster competition.
                    (E) The role of the human space facility in 
                encouraging further crewed and uncrewed exploration 
                investments.
                    (F) The manner in which the development and 
                maintenance of the International Space Station would 
                reduce the cost of, and time necessary for, the 
                development of the human space facility.
    (d) Cislunar Space Exploration Activities.--The Administrator shall 
establish an outpost in orbit around the Moon that--
            (1) demonstrates technologies, systems, and operational 
        concepts directly applicable to the space vehicle that will be 
        used to transport humans to Mars;
            (2) has the capability for periodic human habitation; and
            (3) can function as a point of departure, return, or 
        staging for Administration or nongovernmental or international 
        partner missions to multiple locations on the lunar surface or 
        other destinations.

SEC. 9. STEPPING STONE APPROACH TO EXPLORATION.

    (a) In General.--Section 70504 of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 70504. Stepping stone approach to exploration
    ``(a) In General.--The Administrator, in sustainable steps, may 
conduct missions to intermediate destinations, such as the Moon, in 
accordance with section 20302(b), and on a timetable determined by the 
availability of funding, in order to achieve the objective of human 
exploration of Mars specified in section 202(b)(5) of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 
U.S.C. 18312(b)(5)), if the Administrator--
            ``(1) determines that each such mission demonstrates or 
        advances a technology or operational concept that will enable 
        human missions to Mars; and
            ``(2) incorporates each such mission into the human 
        exploration roadmap under section 432 of the National 
        Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization 
        Act of 2017 (Public Law 2 115-10; 51 U.S.C. 20302 note).''.

SEC. 10. REPORT ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT RELATING TO LIFE-SUSTAINING 
              TECHNICAL SYSTEMS AND PLAN FOR ACHIEVING POWER SUPPLY.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representatives--
            (1) a report on the research and development of the 
        Administration relating to technical systems for the self-
        sufficient sustainment of life in and beyond low-Earth orbit; 
        and
            (2) a plan for achieving a power supply on the Moon that 
        includes--
                    (A) a consideration of the resources necessary to 
                accomplish such plan in the subsequent--
                            (i) 1 to 3 years;
                            (ii) 3 to 5 years; and
                            (iii) 5 to 10 years;
                    (B) collaboration and input from industry and the 
                Department of Energy, specifically the Advanced 
                Research Projects Agency-Energy;
                    (C) the use of a variety of types of energy, 
                including solar and nuclear; and
                    (D) a detailed description of the resources 
                necessary for the Administration to build a lunar power 
                facility with human-tended maintenance requirements 
                during the subsequent 10-year period.

SEC. 11. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS RELATING TO ARTEMIS MISSIONS.

    (a) Section 421 of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration Authorization Act of 2017 (Public 5 Law 115-10; 51 
U.S.C. 20301 note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)(3)--
                    (A) by striking ``EM-1'' and inserting ``Artemis 
                I'';
                    (B) by striking ``EM-2'' and inserting ``Artemis 
                II''; and
                    (C) by striking ``EM-3'' and inserting ``Artemis 
                III''; and
            (2) in subsection (f)(3), by striking ``EM-3'' and 
        inserting ``Artemis III''.
    (b) Section 432(b) of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration Authorization Act of 2017 (Public 17 Law 115-10; 51 
U.S.C. 20302 note) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3)(D)--
                    (A) by striking ``EM-1'' and inserting ``Artemis 
                I''; and
                    (B) by striking ``EM-2'' and inserting ``Artemis 
                II''; and
            (2) in paragraph (4)(C), by striking ``EM-3'' and inserting 
        ``Artemis III''.

SEC. 12. MISSIONS OF NATIONAL NEED.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the Sense of Congress that--
            (1) while certain space missions, such as asteroid 
        detection or space debris mitigation or removal missions, may 
        not provide the highest-value science, as determined by the 
        National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine 
        decadal surveys, such missions provide tremendous value to the 
        United States and the world; and
            (2) the current organizational and funding structure of 
        NASA has not prioritized the funding of missions of national 
        need.
    (b) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy shall conduct a study on the manner in which 
        NASA funds missions of national need.
            (2) Matters to be included.--The study conducted under 
        paragraph (1) shall include the following:
                    (A) An identification and assessment of the types 
                of missions or technology development programs that 
                constitute missions of national need.
                    (B) An assessment of the manner in which such 
                missions are currently funded and managed by NASA.
                    (C) An analysis of the options for funding missions 
                of national need, including--
                            (i) structural changes required to allow 
                        NASA to fund such missions; and
                            (ii) an assessment of the capacity of other 
                        Federal agencies to make funds available for 
                        such missions.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on the results of the study conducted under 
subsection (b), including recommendations for funding missions of 
national need.
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