S.Amdt. 4016

SA 4016, submitted by Mr. Padilla and Mr. Schiff, aims to add a section regarding the science programs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to bill H.R. 4016.

The amendment focuses on the following:

• Science Programs Funding: It provides $300,000,000 for commercializable precursor technologies, spectroscopy, radar, and entry, descent, and landing systems to enable science missions for the next decade, including Mars and lunar missions. Congress finds these capabilities from the Mars Sample Return program are critical for future science missions and human exploration of Mars and the Moon.

• Exploration Programs Funding: It provides $350,000,000 for Mars technology to speed up the development of high-priority technologies like spectroscopy, radar, and entry, descent, and landing systems for crewed missions first to the Moon and then to Mars.

• Coordination: The NASA Administrator must coordinate efforts between specific directorates. For science programs, coordination is required between the Science Mission Directorate and the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. For exploration programs, coordination is required among the Science Mission Directorate, the Space Technology Mission Directorate, and the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate.