Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 124.djvu/2842

 124 STAT. 2816 PUBLIC LAW 111–267—OCT. 11, 2010 (2) GOAL FOR OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY.—It shall be the goal to achieve full operational capability for the transportation vehicle developed pursuant to this subsection by not later than December 31, 2016. For purposes of meeting such goal, the Administrator may undertake a test of the transportation vehicle at the ISS before that date. (b) MINIMUM CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS.—The multi-purpose crew vehicle developed pursuant to subsection (a) shall be designed to have, at a minimum, the following: (1) The capability to serve as the primary crew vehicle for missions beyond low-Earth orbit. (2) The capability to conduct regular in-space operations, such as rendezvous, docking, and extra-vehicular activities, in conjunction with payloads delivered by the Space Launch System developed pursuant to section 302, or other vehicles, in preparation for missions beyond low-Earth orbit or servicing of assets described in section 804, or other assets in cis-lunar space. (3) The capability to provide an alternative means of delivery of crew and cargo to the ISS, in the event other vehicles, whether commercial vehicles or partner-supplied vehicles, are unable to perform that function. (4) The capacity for efficient and timely evolution, including the incorporation of new technologies, competition of sub-ele- ments, and commercial operations. SEC. 304. UTILIZATION OF EXISTING WORKFORCE AND ASSETS IN DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM AND MULTI- PURPOSE CREW VEHICLE. (a) IN GENERAL.—In developing the Space Launch System pursuant to section 302 and the multi-purpose crew vehicle pursu- ant to section 303, the Administrator shall, to the extent practicable utilize— (1) existing contracts, investments, workforce, industrial base, and capabilities from the Space Shuttle and Orion and Ares 1 projects, including— (A) space-suit development activities for application to, and coordinated development of, a multi-purpose crew vehicle suit and associated life-support requirements with potential development of standard NASA-certified suit and life support systems for use in alternative commercially- developed crew transportation systems; and (B) Space Shuttle-derived components and Ares 1 components that use existing United States propulsion sys- tems, including liquid fuel engines, external tank or tank- related capability, and solid rocket motor engines; and (2) associated testing facilities, either in being or under construction as of the date of enactment of this Act. (b) DISCHARGE OF REQUIREMENTS.—In meeting the require- ments of subsection (a), the Administrator— (1) shall, to the extent practicable, utilize ground-based manufacturing capability, ground testing activities, launch and operations infrastructure, and workforce expertise; (2) shall, to the extent practicable, minimize the modifica- tion and development of ground infrastructure and maximize the utilization of existing software, vehicle, and mission oper- ations processes; Contracts. 42 USC 18324. Deadline.