American history tv on cspan3. The house science and Space Committee held a hearing yesterday on the space launch ,ee it the space lots system helping exploration on the moon and mars. It is also planning on trips to the International Space station. Good morning. The subcommittee on space will come to order. I now recognize myself for five minutes of an Opening Statement. Exploration means expanding our reach as humans. As a civilization and as a country, the ability of our nation to explore space is a strategic imperative. Our ability to carry out the strategic never will rely to carry out the strategical endeavor will let us push beyond low earth orbit, we must finish the override capsule in order to operate in deep space. We must update our ground infrastructure to support a rejuvenated and expanded agenda. Longterm goal is laid out in the 2017 nasa transition authorization act, to extend human presence throughout the solar system. System in allch right and have strategic capabilities that will allow and enable humans and robots to accomplish this goal. Sls and orion will enable u. S. Astronauts to return to the moon for the First Time Since the regulus in 1972. In the inaugural meeting of the Space Council, we will return american astronauts to the moon. Not only to leave behind footprints and flags but to build a foundation that we need to send americans to mars and beyond. Sls and orion are the tip of a spear that will lead that return. The commercial sector can contribute by supplying Necessary Services and providing augmenting capabilities. Orion are irreplaceable strategic assets necessary for missions to the moon, mars and beyond. Major laws that President Trump signed it was the nasa transition authorization act of 2017. The bill, originating in this committee, directed nasa to stay the course with sls and orion. It also reaffirmed congressional and president ial direction for nasa to utilize a steppingstone approach. The exploration. Allowing for a return to the moon, i wholeheartedly support the administrations call to return to the moon. This committee has received testimony that the moon is the appropriate next destination for our Space Program. Does not to the moon have to mean delaying a mission to mars. On the contrary, it is a logical step that enables exploration of the red planet and beyond. While i am excited by the promise of how strategic assets will enable Orion America to return to the moon, this committee has a responsibility to conduct oversight to ensure that these programs are successful. All three exploration system elements, sls, orion, and ground systems have experienced delays and overruns. This year has challenged the program. Louisiana was hit by a tornado. In august, texas and florida were hit by hurricanes. A couple years ago, the vertical Assembly Facility foundation was not reinforced. This required a rebuild. This year complications with friction, resulted in poor wells on the core stage. All of this adds up. It appears as though the new issues with tornadoes and hurricanes and welding will cost nearly a year of delay. Depending on whether the europeans deliver the Service Module on time for integration on orion, the delay may be greater. Congress needs to understand where the program is today, what cost, schedule and performance deliverables can the agency commit to . What is the plan Going Forward . How will nasa manage future issues to ensure longterm Program Sustainability . We are not out of the woods yet on this program but we can see the edge of the forest. Significant progress has been made. We are bending metal, writing Software Code and integrating hardware. Given a program of this magnitude this is no small feat. Particularly given the challenges that the program faced under the last administration. In order to meet our nations Space Exploration goals, it will take focus, discipline and continuity of efforts Going Forward. In congressration must not only provide leadership and direction but we must also appropriately fund and oversee the program. Similarly, nasa and the contractors have to execute. Failure to do so could have dire consequences for the program and there would be no one is to blame. The administration has demonstrated renewed support, congress assist Congress Consistently funds the program. Congress andr the contractors to deliver. Im grateful that our witnesses are here today to help us understand where we are with the program and how we plan to move forward and i look forward to your testimony. I now recognize the ranking member, the gentleman from california, for Opening Statement. Thank you mr. Chairman. Good morning to our distinguished panel. Hearing, and a great time for this hearing to get an update on the nasa Exploration System Development activities. Nasa continues to progress but as the chairman points out there have been challenges beyond their control. Elements, to key move humans beyond low earth orbits and eventually send them to mars, construction of the space launch system, the orion vehicle is well underway. Major components for Exploration Mission one, known as the m1 and em two are undergoing evocation and testing. 2017, nasa completed the welding of a liquid oxygen tank scheduled to be flown on em1. It was successfully powered up in august 2017 for the first time. On october 29, 2017 engineers conducted a test of a flight engine to be used on em2. Nasa and Industry Partners have not undertaken a Rocket Development program of this scale for more than three decades. In addition to new hardware and infrastructure, this is also necessitated reestablishing capabilities needed for deep Space Exploration. Contractors prime and 1000 suppliers spread across every state are part of the program. However a program of this size does not happen without challenges. The human Space Exploration program is facing several. Including, having to maintain andfacturing, tests processing schedules as sls and orion are integrated. Damageovery from tornado that the chairman mentioned, resolving firsttime production issues and adjusting activities in response to appropriations funding. As the chairman pointed out, independent analysis have also identified concerns with nasa;s ability to complete launch dates. Found that despite the old ryan and sls projects making progress, technical challenges continue to cause delays. Gao characterized the planned launch date as precarious. Part of what i hope to get out of the hearing today is a better understanding of what that clear plan and an updated launch date the opportunity to examine other important issues including reasons for the latest 1 and in launching em having confidence in the plan moving forward. Indicators and milestones, congress should use for measuring progress made by both the sls, orion programs and establishing production capability. How we will return to the moon including establishing a human presence would impact the goal of sending humans to mars in 2030 as directed in the transition authorization act. In closing, mr. Chairman, you have often heard me talk about, growing up in the middle of the space race, in california. The home of much of the apollo mission. And how that inspired me along with a generation of kids to think about the sciences and beyond. What we are talking about in terms of the systems we are developing today is a reestablishment of American Leadership in the Space Program as we start to think about going back to the moon and going beyond into deep space. That does have the ability to inspire another generation of kids and reinvigorate our desire to explore our curiosity about the universe around us. One of those inspirational figures is with us today, dr. Magnus has flown on the shuttle and lived on the International Space station. We thank you for your service and appreciate you being a role model for millions of young people. I look forward to the testimony and i yield back. Thank you, i couldnt agree more. Now recognize chairman of the full committee, mr. Smith. You mr. Chairman and i appreciate your comments and the ranking members comments as well. Congress has supported nasa for years. We have showed our support in law and with funding from one administration to the next. Years, afterse billions of dollars spent, we are facing more delays and cost overruns. Recent hurricanes and tornadoes have damaged the szilagyis and slowed have damaged facilities but many problems are selfinflicted. It is disappointing to hear about delays caused by poor execution in the u. S. Taxpayer, and the u. S. Taxpayer has invested so much. The last eight Years Congress has defended this system from attempts at cancellation and proposed budget cuts. Funding for the explorations of system is now nearly 4 billion a year. The Government Accountability office reported last spring that the first launch of the sls likely will be delayed a year from late 2018 to late 2019. Delays with the European Service intoe could push this 2020. If this is the case, the schedule for the first launch with crew is also at risk. The nasa Inspector General reported this week that the development of exploration systems is one of the most significant challenges facing nasa. He highlighted problems facing all components. Sls and orion and ground systems. Nasa and the contractors should not assume future delays and cost overruns will have no consequences. Rise,ays continue, costs and foreseeable technical challenges arise, no one should assume the u. S. Taxpayer or their representatives will tolerate this forever. Alternatives to sls and orion would involve taxpayer funding and lead to further delays but the more setbacks for sls and orion, the more support builds for other options. Exploiters and programs at nasa like the commercial crew program are also facing significant delays and challenges. Suffered for decades from Program Cancellations that have delayed exploration goals. As the systems progress, from development to production, operation and maintenance nasa and contractors must bring down costs and guarantee deadlines are met. Glad to see i was nasa issue a request for information last november in order to explore ways to reduce cost. Fixed pricedm, contracts for production might be an appropriate path Going Forward but only if it benefits the taxpayer. Congress needs to have conquered confidence in nasa and the contractors which i do not believe we have now. Ebbingonfidence is and if it goes further nasa will have a hard time maintaining their credibility. I yield back. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Now let me introduce our witnesses. ,ur first witness today associate administrator of human exploration and Operations Director at nasa. He began his nasa career in 1977 performing Aeronautical Research and has managed the spacelike portfolio since 2011. Ofreceived a bachelors science in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University and a masters of science in Mechanical Engineering from the university of toledo. Dr. Sandrawitness, magnus, executive director at the American Institute of aeronautics and astronautics. Iaa,ddition to her role at a she is a former astronaut and worked as a practicing engineer in the aerospace industry. Dr. Magnus received a degree in physics as well as degree in electrical engineering, both from the Missouri University of science and technology. She also has a phd from georgia tech and i now recognize the first witness for five minutes to present testimony. Thank you. We are living in an amazing time in human space life. Livings had crew members onboard the International Space station for more than 17 years. Most High School Students today have only known a time when humans were living and working in space. Were using the space station to expose a Broader Community beyond the Current Space industry, the benefits of using microgravity as an environment to develop new systems and techniques for use on earth. These researchers have never seen the benefits of space to their products and processes. The space station is becoming a place for business to expand, grow, and gain competitive advantage over companies not doing research in space. Having crews in space is now expected and business operating there will become normal. Deliveryices for cargo for does go and is acquiring a third and certify new systems to transport systems and cruise to the iss. These companies are busy manufacturing and servicing their systems. Theyre helping to build a strong commercial space industry and it allows us to focus our efforts on deep Space Exploration. This brings us to the subject of todays hearing. Exploration systems development. Nasa space launch system rockets, the orion capsule with european Service Module and ground systems programs are undergoing manufacturing and certification in preparation for their first integrated flight. Think about it. There are more human spaceflight hardware in production today than at any time in the United States since apollo. As a nation we are Building Three different crew vehicles, orion, star liner, and dragon. One for deep space and two for lower orbit. Into this point was not easy and there are challenges ahead. However we need to pause and reflect on this amazing time. As we pursue human exploration further into the solar system, our exploration teams are building more than a rocket and spacecraft for single flight. We are building a flexible, sustainable system that will be used for decades to come. With this approach, we can in the we can enhance our explayers and systems to a college a variety of missions in deep space. We are also building a system designed with modern manufacturing techniques for lower production costs than previous designs. The work performed in support of orion as applications to other programs. For example, hundreds of requests for information have been transferred from orion to the commercial spacecraft for lower earth orbit. The work on self reaction friction welding will have application beyond sls to other launch vehicles in development. It is the proper role of government to develop capabilities for use i all. For use by all. Structural test article, one flown during exploration flight, and the current flight article have all been built for orion. Four major tests have been completed. The structural testing is fully completed, the vertical Assembly Building at ksc is complete. The launchpad is near completion. All 25 engines and controllers are ready for flight. 17 parachute Development Tests are complete. Four qualification parachute tests are complete with four more open. The data from these tests are helping our commercial partners with their tests also. The amount of work completed today for the deep Space Exploration systems is large and documented in my written testimony. Further, this Government Investment in sls and orion is benefiting all. We need to be careful and not focus on a single launch date projection but rather take time to examine the quality, quantity and future benefit of the work completed. This deeper examination will reveal the value of the work completed to the nation. Nasa has carefully reviewed the work remaining to launch including, while this review shows a launch date of june, 2020 as possible, the agency has gone to an earlier launch. This earlier date is reasonable and challenges teams to stay focused on tasks without creating undue pressure. Nasa is taking additional steps to reduce scheduling risks for both known and unknown issues. Earliestct for the possible launch day, the cost the 50 remain within limit for sls and are slightly above for ground systems operations. Two, is notmission adversely impacted by the em1 schedule and the work completed shows outstanding progress. Andlcome your questions thank you for this opportunity to discuss the amazing work accomplished by the men and women of nasa and their contractor partner teams. Thank you. Thank you. Development of the crew vehicle are major developments, and i will not understate their and sprint. Their importance. Of what is possible in space has been in transition over the last decade. I use a model to disguise describe the ecosystem. I refer you to the figure on the monitors and imagine a balloon centered on the earth slowly expanding. That service represents the expansion of human activity. The apollo area, the surface of that bubble has expanded only to lower earth orbit. The government was the driving force behind the expansion of human activity in space, and this has led to an accumulation of experience, technology, and monitoring management operations in this environment. Now private industry is interested in engaging many more actively in this space. As commercial activities mature, it creates a Foundation Upon the initial phase can expand beyond low earth or. For the future, expansion will be driven by government go