The NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2024 outlines the allocation of funds and plans for NASA from 2025 onwards. It details objectives in space exploration, technology, operations, sciences, aeronautics, STEM education, and NASA's policies, including initiatives like the Artemis program, advancing space technologies, and collaborating with academia.

The section provides definitions for terms used in the Act, including terms like "Administrator" for the head of NASA, "cislunar space" for the moon's surrounding area, and "commercial provider" for private entities offering space services. Definitions also cover the International Space Station (ISS), low-Earth orbit, and vehicles like the Orion and the Space Launch System.

In fiscal year 2025, NASA is authorized to receive roughly $25.5 billion, divided among its different departments, including over $7.6 billion for Exploration Systems, $4.5 billion for Space Operations, and $7.6 billion for Science Missions, with other amounts allocated to technology, aeronautics, STEM engagement, safety, construction, and the Inspector General.

Congress outlines the importance of continuing space exploration efforts, emphasizing NASA's progress on the Artemis missions and the need for collaboration with international and commercial partners to maintain U.S. leadership in space. They stress the importance of clear goals and leveraging private companies, while ensuring ongoing development of space exploration capabilities and reaffirming previous commitments to space exploration programs.

Congress finds that exploring space, especially the Moon, offers many benefits, including understanding water ice on the Moon and leading in global space discussions. To support this, NASA is encouraged to work with international partners and U.S. companies to ensure progress on missions to the Moon and Mars.

Congress reaffirms its backing for the continued development of the Space Launch System and commits to the planned frequency of its missions alongside the Orion crew vehicle. Additionally, NASA is required to update Congress within 180 days about its progress towards reaching the specified launch frequency.

Congress reaffirms the importance of developing human-rated lunar landing systems as part of the NASA Moon to Mars program. The Administrator is tasked with ensuring these systems meet necessary standards, utilize commercial providers based in the U.S., and potentially include services from at least two commercial providers, also allowing for uncrewed missions.

Congress acknowledges the importance of advanced spacesuit technology for future space missions, highlighting NASA's expertise and the need to maintain capabilities even as the private sector develops new suits. NASA must ensure continued expertise and testing of these suits while collaborating with U.S. commercial providers, and the Administrator is required to update Congress on the progress of these efforts and plans for transitioning to advanced spacesuits.

The section outlines Congress's belief in the importance of maintaining the United States' presence in low-Earth orbit for various national interests, prioritizing the continued use of the International Space Station until commercial options are viable. It directs NASA to ensure a continuous human presence in orbit and to plan a transition to commercial space stations while developing a vehicle to safely decommission the ISS, with provisions for waivers in case of technical issues.

The section outlines the Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development Program, which aims to ensure continuous U.S. presence in space by using commercial low-Earth orbit stations after the International Space Station. The program involves selecting and funding commercial entities to develop such stations, with strict deadlines for proposals and development, and it prevents decommissioning the ISS until a commercial station is ready, unless safety issues arise or a commercial alternative is available.

In this section of the bill, Congress expresses that the United States should transition from relying on the International Space Station to commercially-run options for maintaining a human presence in low-Earth orbit. It authorizes and encourages collaboration with commercial sectors, explores funding and research opportunities, and outlines requirements for a plan to ensure a smooth transition to a space economy where NASA is one of many customers, along with addressing the eventual decommissioning of the International Space Station.

Congress acknowledges that nongovernmental missions on the International Space Station (ISS) could offer valuable insights for both government and private organizations in developing future space platforms and economies. It encourages the sharing of these insights to boost commercial human spaceflight safety and policy evolution, and allows for agreements with U.S. companies to conduct such missions on the ISS following NASA policies and regulations.

The section requires that within 180 days of the bill's enactment, the Administrator must give Congress a report detailing the expenses, advantages, and risks of sending U.S. Government personnel on commercial suborbital flights, including the necessary training and any legal issues like liability.

Congress finds that reliable communication and navigation are essential for exploring the Moon and believes that commercial development can help. The Administrator is authorized to create a strong system for lunar communications and must study ways to make these services work together with the help of public and private partners, considering the use of commercial services.

The bill emphasizes the importance of developing a standardized time system for the Moon and other celestial bodies, led by the United States, to ensure smooth operation and collaboration in space exploration. It directs the Administrator to create a strategy for a coordinated lunar time, involving various federal, private, academic, and international entities, and outlines the need for this time system to remain accurate, traceable to Coordinated Universal Time, and adaptable to different space environments.

Congress believes that having an independent Space Technology Mission Directorate is important for developing technology for NASA's various projects. The Administrator is instructed to keep this directorate as stated in a 2017 law.

The section amends the Small Business Act by adding NASA to the list of agencies involved in the SBIR Phase II process, alongside the Department of Education.

Congress expresses its belief that improving cryogenic fluid valve technology is important for enhancing how cryogenic fluids are managed and for making space vehicles more reliable and efficient.

The section defines key terms related to air transportation, including "advanced air mobility" (AAM), which combines urban and regional air mobility using manned or unmanned aircraft. It also specifies what qualifies as "regional air mobility," requiring the use of aircraft with advanced technologies and a certain weight, distinct from "urban air mobility," which covers movement by air within or between cities using similarly equipped aircraft.

The section outlines Congress's view that hypersonic research is crucial for advancing high-speed aeronautical systems and maintaining U.S. leadership in these areas. It mandates NASA, in collaboration with other agencies and partners, to continue such research and update a roadmap detailing advancements in hypersonic technologies, reviewed annually and reported to Congress.

The bill section requires NASA's Administrator to report to Congress on the progress of certain materials and manufacturing technologies within 180 days of the act's passage. Additionally, two years later, the Administrator must update Congress on the findings and provide a briefing.

The section instructs the Administrator to work with the Federal Aviation Administration, other government agencies, universities, and industry experts to continue researching unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility.

The bill permits the Administrator to continue researching ways to improve how aircraft help fight wildfires, specifically through the ACERO project or similar projects. Within 180 days of the bill's enactment, the Administrator must brief certain Congressional committees on this research, including potential research topics, collaborations with other agencies, ongoing efforts, and any other relevant details.

The section permits the Administrator to conduct research on new hydrogen aviation technologies if funding is available. Additionally, it requires a briefing to Congress within 180 days about this research, including any collaborating agencies and future plans.

The section expresses Congress's opinion that NASA needs high-performance chase aircraft for its programs but faces maintenance challenges with its current fleet. It also mandates that NASA must regularly update Congress on its efforts to collaborate with the Department of Defense, find parts to maintain the fleet, and explore strategies for acquiring or borrowing aircraft to support its research and missions.

Congress believes that working with colleges and universities is important for NASA because it helps them access new research and experts in aeronautics, encourages students to get involved in science and technology, and helps train future workers to keep the U.S. strong in aeronautics and aviation.

Congress emphasizes the importance of maintaining a diverse and well-funded science program that includes various research activities and space missions and advises the Administrator to prioritize science goals based on expert recommendations. Additionally, it supports a policy that aims to balance large, medium, and small science missions to ensure continual progress.

Congress expresses that while NASA should pursue ambitious science missions, it should also focus on managing costs effectively to avoid imbalance in the Science Mission Directorate. To achieve this, cost caps need to be established and adhered to, with the Comptroller General tasked to report on NASA's adherence to these caps and analyze their effectiveness and impacts, especially for investigator-led missions post-2000.

Section 603 of the bill modifies the existing law by adding that any significant changes to the NASA budget must be considered during the reexamination of decadal surveys as outlined in Section 20305(c) of title 51 in the United States Code.

The section requires the Administrator to report to Congress within 180 days about their efforts in line with specific U.S. codes regarding Landsat satellite data. The report should explore how private companies could help with Landsat data while keeping data quality and accessibility intact, the potential downsides of these private collaborations, and recommendations on minimizing any negative impacts.

Congress has established guidelines for NASA to buy and share commercial satellite data to support Earth science research. These guidelines include acquiring data primarily from U.S. companies, making it available beyond NASA when possible, and reporting annually on the agreements and their benefits to scientific research.

The section establishes a program where NASA will acquire commercial Earth remote sensing data to support its scientific needs and those of other federal agencies. It requires NASA to buy these data from U.S. vendors when possible, make it widely accessible, and submit regular reports to Congress on agreements and how the data is used for scientific research.

Congress recognizes the importance of planetary science missions in understanding the solar system and supports a balance of different types of missions to achieve scientific progress, as outlined in past guidelines. They emphasize following priorities from the latest scientific surveys and give NASA the flexibility to adjust mission plans based on budget changes while ensuring steady scientific development.

The bill updates policies concerning the threat of near-Earth objects, requiring NASA and other federal agencies to maintain and regularly update plans for alerting relevant authorities and the public about potential threats. It also establishes the Planetary Defense Coordination Office within NASA to survey, track, and strategize against possible hazards from these objects, while coordinating responses with other government entities and international bodies.

The section assigns responsibility to the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy for updating policies to notify federal agencies about potential threats from near-Earth objects. It also outlines that a designated federal agency should protect the U.S. from possible collisions and collaborate with international organizations if an object needs to be deflected.

The Planetary Defense Coordination Office, as outlined by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2022, is responsible for overseeing the identification and management of threats from near-Earth objects larger than 140 meters. This includes spotting, tracking, and evaluating potential dangers, issuing warnings about possible impacts, exploring ways to reduce such impacts, and helping coordinate government strategies to respond to these potential threats.

The bill section allows the Administrator to create a program within the Science Mission Directorate to advance Moon studies, aligning it with expert recommendations. This program will establish key lunar science goals and assess the tools needed for human and robotic missions as part of the Artemis program.

Congress expresses support for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which encourages using commercial providers to deliver small and noncritical instruments to the moon. The program aims to boost the commercial lunar economy by ensuring coordination among NASA's mission directorates and assessing market needs while continuing to improve procedures related to payload delivery.

Congress believes that NASA's orbiting missions around the Moon and Mars are working longer than expected and that the U.S. plans to increase its activities on both celestial bodies. The NASA Administrator is tasked with creating a plan to ensure continued operations and capabilities for scientific and human exploration, while considering collaboration with private companies and international partners.

The bill directs the NASA Administrator to lead a Mars Sample Return program to bring back scientifically chosen samples from Mars for study, following certain guidelines. The Administrator must create and share a detailed plan with Congress, including cost estimates, and finalize agreements with industry partners within a year to carry out the program.

Congress recognizes the importance of NASA's heliophysics research in understanding the Sun and its effects on Earth and space environments. They emphasize the need for continued support and development of space weather forecasting capabilities and encourage a balanced research approach with various missions to maximize scientific investment returns.

Congress believes that the Geospace Dynamics Constellation mission could lead to important scientific discoveries about Earth's upper atmosphere and urges seeking commercial partnerships to enhance this understanding. Additionally, within 180 days of this law being passed, a report outlining the schedule and budget for launching the mission by the end of the decade must be submitted to Congress.

The Administrator is instructed to continue working on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope as outlined in a specific part of the 2022 NASA Authorization Act.

The Administrator should avoid taking any steps that would limit or end the scientific work of the Chandra X-ray Telescope until after the next scheduled review of mission extensions for astrophysics is completed.

The section outlines changes to the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, including the process for grant applications to state consortia and funding allocation details, with specific percentages for program administration and special projects. It also mandates a multi-year review of the program's management and suggests possible statutory updates, with a report due to Congress within 270 days of the act's enactment.

The section authorizes NASA to conduct activities to boost interest in skilled technical jobs in space and aeronautics, focusing on students from high schools to colleges, and allows the use of existing NASA and other federal programs to support these activities. It also mandates a briefing to Congress on these efforts within a year, defining "institution of higher education" and "skilled technical workforce" as per existing laws.

The section changes the rules to require the NASA advisory council to give advice to both NASA and Congress until September 30, 2028, after which the requirement to advise Congress will be removed.

The Comptroller General of the United States is required to send a report to Congress reviewing how NASA makes and manages their cost estimates for missions before the designs are finalized. This report should assess NASA's process, evaluate how they handle these cost estimates during mission development, and may include recommendations for improvement.

The section amends a part of the United States Code to allow for the awarding of production or service contracts, following prototype projects, without using competitive procedures. This is possible if competitive methods were initially used and the participants successfully completed the prototype project; these transactions are treated as agency procurements regarding ethics rules.

Congress recognizes that NASA and the commercial space industry complement each other in advancing U.S. space leadership and highlights the importance of defining NASA's role as private space activities increase. Furthermore, within 180 days of the law's enactment, NASA's Administrator must brief Congress on NASA's current collaboration with other federal agencies regarding commercial space regulation and on future anticipated workload related to this support.

The section prohibits using federal funds for NASA, OSTP, or NSpC to collaborate with China or Chinese companies on space activities unless specifically allowed by a new law. An exception is made if NASA, OSTP, or NSpC confirms, after consulting with the FBI, that there is no risk of technology transfer and no interaction with Chinese officials involved in human rights violations, with required certifications submitted to Congressional committees and the FBI.

NASA is required to send any reports or notices it gives to Congress to specific committees in the House and Senate at the same time it delivers them to any other committee or office. Additionally, if NASA signs an international space agreement, they must provide a report with the agreement to the mentioned committees.

Congress recognizes that a rule called NASA FAR Supplement 1852.242-72 allows changes to contracts if NASA facilities are inaccessible, like adjusting schedules, skipping or rescheduling work, or considering changes to the contract terms.

The section directs the Comptroller General of the United States to report to Congress within a year on the fire and emergency services at NASA launch and reentry facilities, focusing on current capabilities, the impact of increased operations and commercial use, and whether these services can meet future demands.

The new subsection added to Section 20113 of title 51, United States Code, allows NASA to temporarily exchange employees with private sector companies to enhance talent and skills. The program involves agreements on assignment terms, duration limits, policies to protect sensitive information, and yearly reporting to Congress on its outcomes.

The section requires the NASA Administrator to give Congress a briefing within 180 days about NASA's current mentoring programs designed to support its workforce at all career levels. The Administrator might also consider combining these programs into one unified employee development program.

The section permits the Administrator to create an agreement with the Town of Chincoteague, Virginia, for up to five years to cover costs involved in moving drinking water wells from NASA land to town-controlled land. Additionally, within 18 months, the Administrator must report this agreement to Congress.

The section allows NASA to use government-owned vehicles to transport astronauts and space flight participants for official purposes after a mission, such as medical checks. If the person transported is not a U.S. Government employee, they must reimburse the Treasury. NASA's Administrator has the authority to maintain these vehicles and make necessary rules.

The section permits the use of government-owned or leased vehicles to transport astronauts and space flight participants for official purposes related to post-mission activities, provided there is approval from the Chief of the Astronaut Office. It also mentions that international astronauts or non-government employees must reimburse transportation costs to the Treasury, and it allows for necessary regulations and exceptions to certain budgetary restrictions.

Section 813 of the bill clarifies that nothing in the Act should be understood as changing or restricting NASA's policies on scientific integrity.