Aeronautics Innovation Act

The United States aircraft manufacturing industry produced $342,682,000,000 in economic activity from manufacture of aircraft and parts sales and supported 547,900 direct jobs in 2016.

Growth in the civil aircraft market is projected to offer $8,000,000,000,000 to $10,000,000,000,000 in new aircraft sales, parts, and services over the next 17 years. International governments are boosting their research and development investments to give their domestic industries competitive advantages in the aircraft market.

In 2015, the Department of Defense spent $10,600,000,000 on jet fuel and $441,600,000 on jet fuel transportation to support the warfighter. NASA’s research into ultra-efficient air transport is important to the military’s efforts to reduce fuel costs, logistics pressures, and the level of human risk involved with providing worldwide energy solutions.

NASA’s aeronautics research and collaborative ventures yield innovations that can eventually be utilized in the aviation sector, opening up entirely new markets, enabling the United States aviation industry to grow and maintain global competitiveness, providing high-quality engineering and manufacturing jobs, and benefitting the quality of life for our citizens.

Continued progress in the science and technology of aeronautics is crucial to the United States sustained economic success and the protection of the United States security interests at home and around the world, as acknowledged in the 2006 National Aeronautics Research and Development Policy. To ensure Federal efforts remain on a disciplined path to meet national objectives, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy is responsible for the implementation and biennial review of the aeronautics research and development plan of the United States.

All of NASA’s other directorates and capabilities, including those in space, depend on research and technology that originated and is maintained in NASA’s Aeronautics Centers.

Aeronautics plays a central role in our national security strategy, and our technological advantage over potential adversaries must be maintained with sustained and focused research and development.

NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’s 6 strategic thrusts (safe, efficient growth in global operations; innovation in supersonic aircraft; ultra-efficient vehicles; transition to alternative propulsion and energy; real-time, system-wide safety assurance; and assured autonomy for aviation transformation) are effective and necessary research areas for the development of next generation aeronautics technology that will preserve the United States lead in the global aviation industry.

Aeronautics research is focused on fundamental capabilities that have the potential to open entirely new industries, including low-cost electric propulsion, advanced composite material manufacturing, simplified air vehicle operation, and increased vertical takeoff and landing, that will allow for safer and more efficient aviation products and support mobility and economic growth.

To meet the challenges of the 21st century, the United States needs to support NASA's Aeronautics Research Program at funding levels that are commensurate with its past, present, and future contributions to the economic competitiveness and national security of the United States.

Administrator— The term Administrator means the Administrator of NASA.

Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan— The term Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan means the Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan issued by the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.

Air traffic management system— the term air traffic management system means the procedures, technology, and human resources to guide aircraft through the sky and on the ground and to manage low- and high-altitude airspace use.

NASA— The term NASA means the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Unmanned aircraft system; unmanned aircraft— The terms unmanned aircraft system and unmanned aircraft have the meanings given those terms in section 331 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note).

X-Plane— The term X-Plane means an experimental aircraft.

Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that—

National policy— It is the policy of the United States to maintain world leadership in military and civilian aeronautical science and technology, global air power projection, and industrial leadership. To this end, one of the fundamental objectives of NASA aeronautics research is the steady progression and expansion of high-speed flight research and capabilities, including the science and technology of critical underlying disciplines and competencies, chief among which are computational-based analytical and predictive tools and methodologies, aerothermodynamics, high-speed flight propulsion, advanced materials and manufacturing processes, high-temperature structures and materials, and flight controls.

Establishment of experimental plane projects— The Administrator shall establish the following projects:

Project elements— For each of the projects established under subsection (c), the Administrator shall—

Establishment of advanced materials and manufacturing program— The Administrator shall establish an advanced materials and manufacturing technology program consisting of new material developments, from base material formulation through full-scale structural validation and manufacture, that will—

On-Demand aviation— Congress finds the following:

Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that—

Policy— It is the policy of the United States Government to be an active partner with the private sector in the development of technologies, capabilities, and operating procedures for the safe, efficient integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace, while ensuring current and future air traffic management systems are able to manage unmanned aircraft systems.

Unmanned aircraft systems operation program— To advance the national policy described in subsection (b), the Administrator shall—

Coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration— It is the sense of Congress that—

Establishment— The Administrator shall establish a 21st Century Aeronautics Capabilities Initiative, within the Construction and Environmental Compliance and Restoration Account, to ensure that NASA possesses the infrastructure capabilities and computational tools necessary to conduct proposed flight demonstration projects across the range of NASA aeronautics interests. As part of such Initiative, the Administrator shall carry out the following activities:

Authorization of appropriations— For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated to NASA $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, to be derived from amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to NASA.

Fiscal year 2019— There are authorized to be appropriated to NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for fiscal year 2019, $790,000,000, as follows:

Fiscal year 2020— There are authorized to be appropriated to NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for fiscal year 2020, $930,000,000, as follows:

Fiscal year 2021— There are authorized to be appropriated to NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for fiscal year 2021, $974,000,000, as follows:

Fiscal year 2022— There are authorized to be appropriated to NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for fiscal year 2022, $996,000,000, as follows:

Fiscal year 2023— There are authorized to be appropriated to NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for fiscal year 2023, $1,030,000,000, as follows: