U.S. Code
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Title 51
» Subtitle Subtitle V— Programs Targeting Commercial Opportunities › Chapter CHAPTER 501— SPACE COMMERCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— PROMOTION OF COMMERCIAL SPACE OPPORTUNITIES
51 U.S.C. § 303
ISS TRANSITION PLAN.
“(a)Findings.—Congress finds that—“(1) NASA has been both the primary supplier and consumer of human space flight capabilities and services of the ISS and in low-Earth orbit; and“(2) according to the National Research Council report ‘Pathways to Exploration: Rationales and Approaches for a U.S. Program of Human Space Exploration’ extending ISS beyond 2020 to 2024 or 2028 will have significant negative impacts on the schedule of crewed missions to Mars, without significant increases in funding.“(b)Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that—“(1) an orderly transition for United States human space flight activities in low-Earth orbit from the current regime, that relies heavily on NASA sponsorship, to a regime where NASA is one of many customers of a low-Earth orbit commercial human space flight enterprise may be necessary; and“(2) decisions about the long-term future of the ISS impact the ability to conduct future deep space exploration activities, and that such decisions regarding the ISS should be considered in the context of the human exploration roadmap under section 432 of this Act [set out in a note under section 20302 of this title].“(c)Reports.—[Amended this section.]”