President Donald Trump signed bipartisan and bicameral legislation into law on Tuesday that reauthorizes NASA and commits $19.5 billion to support for national programs and for space science and exploration.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Transition Authorization Act, which was led by U.S. Reps. Lamar Smith (R-TX) and Martha Roby (R-AL), maintains constancy of purpose for NASA.
“With President Trump’s signature on the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017, we put America back on a path to being a global leader in space,” Smith, the chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, said. “The last NASA authorization expired in 2013, and my colleagues and I have been hard at work to ensure a more robust and well-planned human exploration program.”
Smith said the bill directs NASA to pursue a balanced portfolio of space science and planetary missions and looks to the future of scientific exploration and commerce.
“I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate who worked to develop this important bill that will inspire the American people again,” Smith said. “NASA is emblematic of the president’s ‘America First’ agenda as it is the first authorization bill he has signed into law.”
Specifically, the reauthorization bill maintains support for the James Webb Space Telescope, the Space Launch System, the Orion crew vehicle, the International Space Station, and the commercial crew and cargo programs.
The bill also outlines support for the Mars 2020 rover and the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope, and it provides direction for a mission to Europa.
“Alabamians are proud of the key role NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville plays in the space program,” Roby, a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, said. “This bill will ensure important NASA exploration efforts are authorized and properly funded for in 2017, including the Mission to Mars.”
Roby added that she is committed to ensuring NASA has the resources it needs to remain the world’s preeminent space program.
The measure also included two provisions led by U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO). One would require NASA to develop a plan to reach Mars that includes timelines and benchmarks, and another would authorize NASA to consider satellite servicing options for future programs.
“Colorado’s aerospace industry is a major economic driver and employs thousands of Coloradans throughout the Centennial state,” Gardner said. “I’m thrilled this legislation was signed into law and includes a provision I authored that requires NASA to develop a timeline for a manned mission to Mars, and I look forward to seeing Coloradans contribute to the mission’s ultimate success.”