§18404 National space technology policy

Summary

The President or someone the President picks must create a national space technology policy to guide U.S. space technology work through 2020. The policy must set national goals, say which federal agencies will do what, and use outside studies about U.S. technology and competitiveness. For NASA, the policy must name priority research areas, explain how future yearly priorities will be chosen, list needed facilities and staff, and state the budget assumptions — for fiscal years 2011, 2012, and 2013 those assumptions must be the authorized level for NASA’s technology program in this law. The policy is built on the idea that the federal government should run R&D that helps keep the United States a world leader in space technology. When making the policy, the President or the person chosen must consider and report on several issues: whether NASA should focus on long‑term, high‑risk research or smaller steps and how that affects the economy; how to serve military and commercial needs; how NASA will coordinate with other federal agencies; and how much work will be done in NASA, at universities, or with industry and how that mix will affect the U.S. workforce. They must consult widely with academic and industry experts and other agencies, and NASA may work with the National Academy of Sciences. The President must send the policy report to the listed congressional committees within 1 year after October 11, 2010. Within 60 days after that, the NASA Administrator must send a report to the same committees explaining how NASA will carry out the policy.