Mapping a New and Innovative Focus on Our Exploration Strategy for Human Spaceflight Act of 2017 or the MANIFEST for Human Spaceflight Act of 2017.
This bill amends the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 to make it a key U.S. objective to achieve human exploration of Mars, including the establishment of a capability to extend human presence to the surface of Mars.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shall report a strategy to achieve such objective through a series of successive, sustainable, free-standing, but complementary missions making robust use of cislunar space and employing the Space Launch System, Orion crew capsule, and other capabilities provided under specified titles of the Act.
NASA shall arrange with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to review and comment on each interim report on the strategy and identify matters the NAS agrees with and matters raising NAS concerns, as well as any NAS recommendations.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 650 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 650
To provide for the development of a United States strategy for greater
human space exploration, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 24, 2017
Mr. Culberson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the development of a United States strategy for greater
human space 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 ``Mapping a New and Innovative Focus
on Our Exploration Strategy for Human Spaceflight Act of 2017'' or the
``MANIFEST for Human Spaceflight Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. REAFFIRMATION OF POLICY AND FINDINGS.
(a) Reaffirmation of Policy.--Congress reaffirms that the long-term
goal of the human space flight and exploration efforts of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration shall be to expand permanent human
presence beyond low-Earth orbit and to do so, where practical, in a
manner involving international partners, as stated in section 202(a) of
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of
2010 (42 U.S.C. 18312(a)).
(b) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) In accordance with section 204 of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010
(Public Law 111-267; 124 Stat. 2813), the National Academy of
Sciences, 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''.
(2) The Committee on Human Spaceflight included leaders
from the aerospace, scientific, security, and policy
communities. With input from the public, the Committee on Human
Spaceflight concluded that many practical and aspirational
rationales together constitute a compelling case for human
space exploration. These rationales include economic benefits,
national security, national prestige, inspiring students and
other citizens, scientific discovery, human survival, and a
sense of shared destiny.
(3) The Committee on Human Spaceflight affirmed that Mars
is the appropriate long-term goal for the human space flight
program.
(4) The Committee on Human Spaceflight recommended that the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 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.
SEC. 3. HUMAN EXPLORATION STRATEGY.
(a) Human Exploration of Mars.--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'' at the end;
(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, including the
establishment of a capability to extend human presence to the
surface of Mars.''.
(b) Exploration Strategy.--
(1) In general.--In accordance with this subsection, the
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration shall submit an interim report and final report
setting forth a strategy to achieve the objective in paragraph
(5) of section 202(b) of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration Authorization Act of 2010, as amended by
subsection (a) of this section, through a series of successive,
sustainable, free-standing, but complementary missions making
robust utilization of cis-lunar space and employing the Space
Launch System, Orion crew capsule, and other capabilities
provided under titles III, IV, V, and IX of that Act (42 U.S.C.
18301 et seq.).
(2) Strategy requirements.--In developing the strategy
under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall include--
(A) the utility of an expanded human presence in
cis-lunar space toward enabling missions to various
lunar orbits, the lunar surface, asteroids, Mars, the
moons of Mars, and other destinations of interest for
future human exploration and development;
(B) the utility of an expanded human presence in
cis-lunar space for economic, scientific, and
technological advances;
(C) the opportunities for collaboration with--
(i) international partners;
(ii) private industry; and
(iii) other Federal agencies, including
missions relevant to national security or
scientific needs;
(D) the opportunities specifically afforded by the
International Space Station (ISS) to support high
priority scientific research and technological
developments useful in expanding and sustaining a human
presence in cis-lunar space and beyond;
(E) a range of exploration mission architectures
and approaches for the missions identified under
paragraph (1), including capabilities for the Orion
crew capsule and the Space Launch System;
(F) a comparison of architectures and approaches
based on--
(i) assessed value of factors including
cost effectiveness, schedule resiliency,
safety, sustainability, and opportunities for
international collaboration;
(ii) the extent to which certain
architectures and approaches may enable new
markets and opportunities for United States
private industry, provide compelling
opportunities for scientific discovery and
technological excellence, sustain United States
competitiveness and leadership, and address
critical national security considerations and
requirements; and
(iii) the flexibility of such architectures
and approaches to adjust to evolving
technologies, partners, priorities, and budget
projections and constraints;
(G) measures for setting standards for ensuring
crew health and safety, including limits regarding
radiation exposure and countermeasures necessary to
meet those limits, means and methods for addressing
urgent medical conditions or injuries, and other such
safety, health, and medical issues that can be
anticipated in the conduct of the missions identified
under paragraph (1);
(H) a description of crew training needs and
capabilities (including space suits and life support
systems) necessary to support the conduct of missions
identified under paragraph (1);
(I) a detailed plan for prioritizing and phasing
near-term intermediate destinations and missions
identified under paragraph (1);
(J) an assessment of the recommendations of the
report prepared in compliance with section 204 of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Authorization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-267; 124
Stat. 2813), including a detailed explanation of how
the Administrator has ensured such recommendations have
been, to the extent practicable, incorporated into the
strategy under paragraph (1); and
(K) technical information as needed to identify
interest from potential stakeholder or partner
communities.
(3) Independent review.--
(A) In general.--The Administrator shall enter into
an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to
review and comment on each interim report pursuant to
paragraph (1). Under the arrangement, the National
Academy of Sciences shall review each interim report on
the strategy described in paragraph (1) and identify
the following:
(i) Matters in such interim report agreed
upon by the National Academy of Sciences.
(ii) Matters in such interim report raising
concerns for the National Academy of Sciences.
(iii) Such further recommendations with
respect to matters covered by such interim
report as the National Academy of Sciences
considers appropriate.
(B) Timing of review and comment.--The
Administrator shall ensure that the review and comment
on an interim report provided for pursuant to
subparagraph (A) is conducted in a timely manner to
comply with the requirements of this subsection and, to
the maximum extent practicable, to facilitate the
incorporation of the comments of the National Academy
of Sciences pursuant to subparagraph (A) into the
applicable final report required by this subsection.
(4) Deadlines.--
(A) Interim reports.--Not later than 90 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less
than every five years thereafter, the Administrator
shall submit to the National Academy of Sciences an
interim report on the strategy required by paragraph
(1) in order to facilitate the independent review and
comment on the strategy as provided for by paragraph
(3).
(B) Final reports.--Not later than one year after
the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less
than every five years thereafter, the Administrator
shall submit to Congress a final report on the strategy
required by paragraph (1), which shall include and
incorporate the response of the National Academy of
Sciences to the most recent interim report pursuant to
paragraph (3).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Space.
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