51 U.S.C. § 30504: Assessment of science mission extensions

(a) Assessments.—(1) In general.—The Administrator shall carry out triennial reviews within each of the Science divisions to assess the cost and benefits of extending the date of the termination of data collection for those missions that exceed their planned missions’ lifetime. (2) Considerations.—In conducting an assessment under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consider whether and how extending missions impacts the start of future missions. (b) Consultation and Consideration of Potential Benefits of Instruments on Missions.—When deciding whether to extend a mission that has an operational component, the Administrator shall—(1) consult with any affected Federal agency; and (2) take into account the potential benefits of instruments on missions that are beyond their planned mission lifetime. (c) Reports.—The Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, at the same time as the submission to Congress of the Administration’s annual budget request for each fiscal year, a report detailing any assessment under subsection (a) that was carried out during the previous year.