Obama Signed The NASA Authorization Act Of 2010 Monday
President Barack Obama signed the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration Authorization Act of 2010 into law on Monday, Oct.
11, 2010, setting spending levels for the space agency, and setting
the stage for greater commercial participation in space.
President Obama Signs NASA Bill
Following the signing, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden issued
the following statement:
"Earlier today, President Obama signed into law the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010. It
is important bipartisan legislation that charts a new course for
space exploration, science, technology development, and
aeronautics. We are grateful for the President's forward-thinking
plan and the hard work members of Congress put into this framework
that will guide us for the coming three years.
"This legislation supports the president's ambitious plan for
NASA to pioneer new frontiers of innovation and discovery. With
this direction, we will extend operations on the International
Space Station through at least 2020.
"We will foster a growing commercial space transportation
industry that will allow NASA to focus our efforts on executing
direction in the act to start work on a heavy-lift architecture to
take astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit and to develop a
multipurpose crew vehicle for use with our new space launch
systems.
"Also, we will continue to invest in green aviation and other
technologies that make air travel safer and more efficient.
"In collaboration with our international partners, industry, and
academia, we will build and launch observatories and robotic
missions to explore our solar system and peer through new windows
into our amazing universe, as well as help us better understand our
own home planet with a robust plus-up in our Earth Science program.
Our education programs will build on all of this to inspire future
generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers.
"We have been given a new path in space that will enable our
country to develop greater capabilities, transforming the state of
the art in aerospace technologies. We will continue to maintain and
expand vital partnerships around the world. It will help us retool
for the industries and jobs of the future that will be vital for
long-term economic growth and national security.
NASA Administrator Bolden
"Our workers have been steadfast in their dedication to safety
and success through this time of transition, and we salute their
hard work and continued professional excellence. They will continue
to be our most vital resource as we implement these plans.
"As the 2011 appropriations process moves forward, there is
still a lot of hard work ahead of us in collaboration with the
Congress. We are committed to work together with the continued wide
public support for NASA, and the bipartisan backing of Congress.
Today's vote of confidence from the president ensures America's
space program will remain at the forefront of a bright future for
our nation."