- § 18381. Technology development
- § 18382. Suborbital research activities
- § 18383. In-space servicing
- § 18384. Decadal results
- § 18385. On-going restoration of radioisotope thermoelectric generator material production
- § 18386. Collaboration with ESMD and SOMD on robotic missions
- § 18387. Near-Earth object survey and policy with respect to threats posed
- § 18388. Repealed.
The Administrator shall ensure that the Science Mission Directorate maintains a long term technology development program for space and Earth science. This effort should be coordinated with an overall Agency technology investment approach, as authorized in section 905 of this Act.
The Administrator shall continue to take all necessary steps to ensure that provisions are made for in-space or human servicing and repair of all future observatory-class scientific spacecraft intended to be deployed in Earth-orbit or at a Lagrangian point to the extent practicable and appropriate. The Administrator should ensure that agency investments and future capabilities for space technology, robotics, and human space flight take the ability to service and repair these spacecraft into account, where appropriate, and incorporate such capabilities into design and operational plans.
NASA shall take into account the current decadal surveys from the National Academies’ Space Studies Board when submitting the President’s budget request to the Congress.
The Administrator shall ensure that the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate and the Space Operations Mission Directorate coordinate with the Science Mission Directorate on an overall approach and plan for interagency and international collaboration on robotic missions that are NASA or internationally developed, including lunar, Lagrangian, near-Earth orbit, and Mars spacecraft, such as the International Lunar Network. Within 90 days after October 11, 2010, the Administrator shall provide a plan to the appropriate committees of Congress for implementation of the collaborative approach required by this section. The Administrator may not cancel or initiate any Exploration Systems Mission Directorate or Science Mission Directorate robotic project before the plan is submitted to the appropriate committees of Congress.