My Markup of Title II, Subtitle A, of HR 5666

My Markup of HR 5666*

* I focused entirely on Title II. I did not mention Mars because I think without building a permanently crewed Lunar Outpost that then becomes an anchor for gathering Lunar resources to provide wealth and security to the people who pay the bills - your poor working stiffs aka the American taxpayers -  NASA will never send people to Mars because there would be a tax revolt. Once the Lunar Outposts are built and we are a true spacefaring nation where everybody is getting something out of it, the Mars crowd can then write their own damn HR's.

TITLE II—HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION AND OPERATIONS

Subtitle A—Permanently Crewed Lunar Outpost Program SEC. 201. SUSTAINABLE HUMAN EXPLORATION PROGRAM.

It is the sense of Congress that the Nation’s human exploration program is an important element of United States leadership in space exploration, economic strength, and national security. It is the further sense of Congress that constancy of purpose and the sustainability of the Nation’s human exploration goals and objectives should be an inherent principle of a long-term human presence on the lunar surface that spans several Congresses and Administrations and provides for development of the moon, henceforth described as Luna in this document, for the economic benefit, security, and general welfare of the American people and the world at large.

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SEC. 202. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator is authorized under sections 20302 and 70504 of title 51, United States Code, and shall carry out plans and programs to achieve sustainable human presence on the surface of Luna.

(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The goal of NASA’s Permanently Crewed Lunar Outpost program shall be to land humans on Luna, first in 2024 by any means necessary, and next establish one or more sustainable permanently crewed outposts on the Lunar surface by 2030.

(c) PRECURSOR ACTIVITIES.—The Administrator, as he may deem necessary, shall undertake precursor crewed and robotic missions to cis-lunar space and the lunar surface to determine the most efficient and safe methods of constructing permanently crewed lunar outposts.

(d) OBJECTIVES.—The objective of our human missions to Luna will be, by 2030, to construct one or more permanently crewed lunar outposts as anchors to support commercial, scientific, and academic organizations intent on acquiring the resources & knowledge of the moon for the economic benefit, security, & general welfare of American citizens and, by extension, the citizens of the world. These outposts will provide, for a negotiated fee, the necessary living areas, sustenance, and hangar space required for such organizations to outfit and prepare themselves for their various missions, both scientific and commercial. As listed in Section 203 (g) below, International partners will be fully welcomed.

SEC. 203. STRUCTURE OF PERMANENT LUNAR OUTPOST PROGRAM.

(a) Permanently Crewed Lunar Outpost OFFICE.—The Administrator shall establish a Permanently Crewed Lunar Outpost Office within 60 days of the enactment of this Act to lead and manage the Permanently Crewed Lunar Outpost program.

(b) PROGRAM DIRECTOR.—The Administrator shall appoint a Program Director of the Office established in subsection (a) who shall report to the Associate Administrator and the Associate Administrator of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate.

(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Permanently Crewed Lunar Outpost Program Office shall be responsible for developing—

            (1) a schedule of flights and demonstrations on the Lunar surface that would support and lead to a permanently crewed lunar outpost by 2030

            (2) inviting all interested academic, scientific, commercial, and International partners that may want to join our effort and determining the organization and investments that would result.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 15:26 Jan 22, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 C:\USERS\JWGROSS\APPD            (d) SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND INTEGRATION.—

The Director of the Permanently Crewed Lunar Outpost Program shall appoint a Systems Engineering and Integration Manager to manage the systems engineering and integration activities of the program.

(e) SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITIES.—The Administrator shall propose to Congress any special hiring authorities that the Administrator determines are needed to ensure that personnel with the requisite skills and experience are available to the Program Office.

(f) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—The Permanently Crewed Lunar Outpost Program shall determine the best technical methodology for reaching the primary goal as listed in Sec. 202 Para. (d) above. It will keep the President, Congress, and the National Space Council fully apprised as to its progress toward the goal of establishing one or more fully operational Permanently Crewed Lunar Outposts by 2030. Progress reports will include:

            (1) Within 30 days of the enactment of this act, the administrator will order an independent agency, with experience in spaceflight, finance, and statistical analysis, to determine if its present plans to land Americans on Luna by 2024 is feasible and, if not, to present an alternate plan.

            (2) Within 120 days of the enactment of this act, the administrator will, in consultation with academic, government, scientific, and commercial entities, produce a report that lays out how one or more Permanent Lunar Outposts can be constructed for the purpose listed previously, and an annual outlay of funds required to implement this plan through 2030. This will include all robotic and crewed flights necessary as precursors to the beginning of actual construction of the permanently crewed Lunar Outpost. This report will first be presented to the National Space Council which will then, if deemed appropriate, present the findings to the Congress and seek the necessary funds necessary to construct one of more permanently crewed Lunar Outposts for the purposes set above. This will be in the form of a National Goal that lays out the economic, security, and overall benefits of building permanently crewed Lunar Outposts that will accrue to the American people and, by extension, the people of the world

(g) INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION.—

         (1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall lead and encourage to the maximum extent practicable international partner participation in the implementation of the elements of constructing permanent;y crewed Lunar Outposts.  If the National Space Council deems it necessary due to the overall interest of multiple International plus scientific, commercial and academic entities who wish to join this enterprise, it may choose to establish a Lunar Outpost Consortium of which NASA would be the American representative. Such a consortium would be required ultimately to become self-financing.

         (2) CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION.—NASA shall seek Congressional authorization prior to finalizing any exploration architecture that depends on international or commercial partnerships for overall mission success as well as the creation of the consortium mentioned above.

(h) Center Assignments Within NASA—

            (1) As a general principle, the NASA Administrator shall choose, with the concurrence of the National Space Council, the responsibilities of the centers and offices under his authority for the various phases of the Permanently Crewed Lunar Outpost Program.

            (2) The NASA Administrator will have the further authority, with the concurrence of the National Space Council, to modify or change the assigned responsibilities of the centers and offices under his authority for the Permanently Crewed Lunar Outpost Program if he deems necessary for the purpose of improved management, budgetary concerns, or other changing conditions.