Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
february 2017

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space

REAL Space Act Introduced

February 3, 2017

Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL-8) introduced the Reasserting American Leadership in Space Act (H.R.870) on February 3. The REAL Space Act directs the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to return to and develop a sustained presence on the Moon.

The act directs NASA to return to the Moon by 2023 and to develop a sustained human presence there. The goals of this act are to promote lunar exploration, commerce, and science as well as to express the United States’ preeminence in space.

The bill directs NASA to create budget requests and expenditures to achieve this goal.

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is currently reviewing the act.

Source: Congress.gov

House Committee holds hearing on NASA’s past, present, and future

February 16, 2017

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing on the future of NASA on February 16, 2017. Witnesses featured two geologists, former Senator Harrison Schmitt, the only geoscientist to walk on the moon, and Dr. Ellen Stofan, former Chief Scientist of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Tom Young, Former Goddard Space Flight Center Director, and Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford also testified at the hearing.

NASA’s earth science activities were emphasized throughout the hearing. Dr. Stofan highlighted some of the many economic benefits of NASA Earth Science, such as the GRACE satellite’s groundwater monitoring in California, and a NASA phone application to assist farmers for crop monitoring and irrigation purposes.

The comments of several committee members hint at reprioritizing NASA away from earth sciences. To contrast this proposed reprioritization, Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA-8) asked Dr. Stofan to explain what would be at risk if NASA’s earth science budget were eliminated. Chairman Smith (R-TX-21) commented after this statement that “rebalancing” NASA would not eliminate NASA Earth Science, but rather, reprioritize it.  Dr. Stofan testified that the earth science budget at NASA has decreased slightly (with inflation) over the past 20 years. Stofan elaborated on how NASA has been vital to other agencies’ work, such as the GOES-R weather satellite for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Landsat satellite for the U.S. Geological Survey. During the hearing, Rep. Weber (R-TX-14) suggested that the committee may try to shift NASA away from these collaborations, and shift some of NASA’s earth science priorities towards other agencies such as NOAA.

During the hearing Thomas Young stressed the importance of NASA’s continued use of the National Academy of Sciences’ decadal surveys to set science priorities.

Sources: House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Senate passes NASA Transition Authorization Act

February 17, 2017

On February 17, the Senate unanimously passed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Transition Authorization Act (S.442). The bill was introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), and will provide stability for NASA to sustain and build upon its mission to advance NASA science and space exploration. The bill addresses many aspects of NASA’s activities, with the exception of earth science.

The bill authorizes $19.5 billion in total NASA funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, with $5.5 billion directed to the NASA Science Mission Directorate. This funding, however, has yet to be appropriated. The current continuing resolution funds NASA at the FY2016 level of $19.3 billion. The continuing resolution, however, does not apply to the Space Launch System, Orion, and Exploration Ground Systems programs, which, because they would suffer operations schedule issues without sustainable funding, are exempted from normal budgeting restrictions.

The bill directs NASA to report to Congress on how the Orion spacecraft may serve as a backup to move material to and from the International Space Station (ISS). S.442 directs NASA to expand upon and utilize private sector commercial systems to move astronauts between Earth and the ISS.

The House passed S.442 on March 7. President Trump signed it into law on March 20. 

Sources: Senate.gov, Congress.gov, NASA.gov