118th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To direct the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report on the merits of, and options for, establishing an institute relating to space resources, and for other purposes.
June 15, 2023
Ms. Caraveo (for herself, Mr. Lamborn, Ms. Pettersen, and Mr. Neguse) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
To direct the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report on the merits of, and options for, establishing an institute relating to space resources, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Space Resources Institute Act”.
SEC. 2. Report on merits and options for establishing an institute relating to space resources.
(a) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator and Secretary shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the merits of, and options for, establishing an institute relating to space resources to advance the objectives of NASA and the Department in maintaining United States preeminence in space. Such objectives shall include the following:
(1) Identifying, developing, and distributing space resources, including by encouraging the development of foundational science and technology.
(2) Reducing the technological risks associated with identifying, developing, and distributing space resources.
(3) Developing options for using space resources to—
(A) support current and future space architectures, programs, and missions; and
(B) enable such architectures, programs, and missions that would not otherwise be possible.
(b) Additional matters.—The report required under subsection (a) shall also include the following assessments of the Administrator and the Secretary:
(1) Whether a virtual or physical institute relating to space resources is most cost effective and appropriate.
(2) Whether partnering with institutions of higher education and the aerospace industry, and the extractive industry as appropriate, would be effective in increasing information available to the institute with respect to advancing the objectives described in subsection (a).
(c) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term “Administrator” means the Administrator of NASA.
(2) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—The term “appropriate congressional committees” means—
(A) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.
(3) DEPARTMENT.—The term “Department” means the Department of Commerce.
(4) EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRY.—The term “extractive industry” means companies and individuals involved in the processes of extracting, including mining, quarrying, drilling, and dredging, raw, natural materials or energy sources.
(5) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The term “institution of higher education” has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(6) NASA.—The term “NASA” means the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(7) SECRETARY.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce.
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term “space resource” means an abiotic resource in situ in outer space.
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term “space resource” includes a raw, natural material or energy source.