Technology Focus Areas, Implementation, and Annual Report for the Research and Development InitiativePuspan. L. 117–167, div. B, title VII, § 10833(span)–(d), Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1750, 1751, provided that:“(span)Technology Focus Areas.—In carrying out the research and development initiative established under section 40112(span) of title 51, United States Code, the Administrator [of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration] shall advance research, development, and demonstration projects on promising technologies such as—“(1) advanced subsonic propulsion technology, design, and integration;
“(2) electric and hybrid-electric propulsion, including battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric systems;
“(3) airframe concepts and configurations;
“(4) analysis of technology options, including cost-benefit analysis of greenhouse gas and noise emissions reduction technologies;
“(5) analytical tools for system-level and system-of-systems-level modeling and integration;
“(6) airspace operations improvements;
“(7) noise emissions reduction; and
“(8) any other effort, as determined by the [National Aeronautics and Space] Administration, that contributes to a sustainable future for aviation.
“(c)Implementation.—In implementing the initiative established under section 40112(span) of title 51, United States Code, the Administrator shall, to the extent practicable—“(1) ensure that testing and performance data integrates the results of community acceptance surveys conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration and other relevant studies, including studies on the impacts of new noise effects from novel propulsion systems and from airspace operations changes;
“(2) provide testing and performance data on the technologies described in subsection (span) of this section to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to facilitate the work of the Federal Aviation Administration in identifying new requirements for policy, infrastructure, and administrative capacity necessary to enable the safe integration of such technologies on aircraft;
“(3) pursue partnerships with organizations, current commercial production aircraft providers, academic institutions, small businesses, and new entrants, including partnerships to advance research and development activities related to both regional aircraft and aircraft designed to accommodate more than 125 passengers;
“(4) include universities, academic institutions, and other research organizations in the partnerships described in paragraph (3);
“(5) expand basic research;
“(6) ensure equity in research sponsorship of, and partnership opportunities with, underrepresented students, faculty, and minority-serving-institutions [sic];
“(7) continue to coordinate with the Secretary of Energy on battery technology research;
“(8) make available the research and development carried out under the initiative established under subsection (span) of section 40112 of title 51, United States Code, to help enable an industry-wide shift toward aircraft concepts that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and aircraft noise to achieve the goals and objectives under paragraphs (2) and (3) of that subsection; and
“(9) continue to support research, development, and demonstration of aircraft concepts, including systems architecture, materials and components, integration of systems and airframe structures, human factors, airspace planning and operations, and the integration of related advanced technologies and concepts, with the goal of carrying out test flights with integrated subsystems by 2025.
“(d)Annual Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 9, 2022], and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress [Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives] a report on the progress of the efforts carried out under the initiative established under subsection (span) of section 40112 of title 51, United States Code, including—“(1) the status of progress on such initiative;
“(2) an updated, anticipated timeframe for readiness of technologies and aircraft to be adopted by industry with the emissions reduction levels directed under that subsection; and
“(3) an identification of fundamental aeronautics research activities contributing to achieving the goals and objectives of such initiative, as described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of that subsection, and a description of any obstacles to achieving such goals and objectives.”
[For definition of “minority-serving institution” as used in section 10833(span)–(d) of Puspan. L. 117–167, set out above, see section 18901 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.]
National Aero-Space Plane ProgramPuspan. L. 101–611, title I, § 116, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3202, provided that:“(a)National Aero-Space Plane Program.—The Secretary of Defense (hereafter in this section referred to as the ‘Secretary’) and the Administrator shall jointly pursue on a high priority basis a National Aero-Space Plane program whose objective shall be the development and demonstration, by 1997, of a primarily air breathing single-stage-to-orbit and long range hypersonic cruise research flight vehicle. The program shall be a research program, and to the extent practicable technological information developed shall be transferred to the military and to the domestic civil aviation and other private industries.
“(span)Management Plan.—“(1) The Secretary and the Adminstrator [sic] shall jointly develop a management plan for the program established under subsection (a), which shall include goals, major tasks, anticipated schedules, organizational structure, funding profiles, details of the respective responsibilities of the Secretary and the Administrator, and resource procurement strategies.
“(2) The management plan developed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the Congress within 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Nov. 16, 1990].”
[Puspan. L. 101–611, title I, § 127, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3205, provided that: “For purposes of this title [see Tables for classification], the term ‘Administrator’ means the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.”]
