science

NASA Authorization Act of 2010

NASA Authorization Act of 2010 is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand NASA Authorization Act of 2010 rather than just read about it. In short: The NASA Authorization Act of 2010 is a U.S. law authorizing NASA appropriations for fiscal years 2011, 2012, 2013 with the same top-line budget values as requested by US President Barack Obama. It resulted from the Augustine Commission's review of then-current crewed space flight plans.

Key takeaways

NASA Authorization Act of 2010 belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect NASA Authorization Act of 2010 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NASA Authorization Act of 2010 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The NASA Authorization Act of 2010 is a U.S. law authorizing NASA appropriations for fiscal years 2011, 2012, 2013 with the same top-line budget values as requested by US President Barack Obama. It resulted from the Augustine Commission's review of then-current crewed space flight plans. The law supports an overall growth in science, aeronautics, and space technology and defines a long-term goal for human spaceflight to expand a permanent human presence beyond low Earth orbit. Key objectives of this goal include full utilization of the International Space Station (ISS), determining the ability of humans to live in outer space for extended periods of time, maximizing the role of space exploration and space technology in current and future missions, advancing knowledge and inspiring young people into higher education, and building upon international partnerships. The act was signed by President Obama on October 11, 2010. A total of $58 billion in funding is called for, spread across three years.

Human spaceflight In regard to human spaceflight, the law is intended to:

Couple human spaceflight efforts to national and global needs and challenges. Provide a sustainable space exploration program to incorporate new technologies and in-space capabilities. Require immediate development of the Space Launch System (SLS) as a follow-on launch vehicle to the Space Shuttle and continued development of a crew exploration vehicle to be capable of supporting missions beyond low Earth orbit starting in 2016. Support a sound performance and cost framework by maximizing use, where possible, of the workforce, assets, and capabilities of the Space Shuttle, Constellation program, and other NASA programs.

Space technology The law will invest in space technologies and robotics capabilities that are tied to the overall space exploration framework and support U.S. innovation and competitiveness.

Commercial cargo and crew In regard to commercial cargo and crew, the law will:

Continue to support commercial cargo development and provide additional funds to meet launch infrastructure requirements and accelerate development activity. Expand the Commercial Crew Development Program in 2011 for concept development and supporting activities, while requiring a number of studies to ensure effective oversight of the potential initiation of a commercial crew capability procurement program no earlier than 2012.

International Space Station In regard to the International Space Station (ISS), the law will:

Extend the ISS to at least 2020 to support international and commercial collaboration and growth, research, and technology development to maximize the scientific return on the significant investment in the ISS. Establish an independent non-profit to work with NASA to fully develop the ISS U.S. segment as a National Laboratory. Require an assessment of ISS requirements for parts and equipment needed to ensure its full functionality through 2020.

Additional "launch on need" Shuttle mission The law authorizes an additional Space Shuttle flight (STS-135), contingent on a safety review, to provide necessary support for the extension of the ISS.

Science and aeronautics The law protects a balanced portfolio for NASA, including full funding of aeronautics, Earth science and space science.

Education In regard to education, the law will:

Support new education initiatives, such as teacher training programs, to reinforce NASA's role in developing a workforce with strong science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills. Increase the investment in NASA EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) and NASA Space Grant program.

Rescoping and revitalizing institutional capabilities The law requires NASA to examine alternative management models for NASA's workforce, centers, and capabilities, while enforcing short-term prohibitions on major center displacements and reductions-in-force until the study is completed.

See also National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program Space Launch System Space policy of the Barack Obama administration National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2014 (H.R. 4412; 113th Congress), failed in the Senate CHIPS and Science Act, passed 2022 by the 117th Congress, containing NASA authorization provisions

References This article incorporates public domain material from The NASA Authorization Act of 2010. U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with NASA Authorization Act of 2010

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NASA Authorization Act of 2010 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to NASA Authorization Act of 2010 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about NASA Authorization Act of 2010 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of NASA Authorization Act of 2010

In research: NASA Authorization Act of 2010 appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses NASA Authorization Act of 2010 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: NASA Authorization Act of 2010 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Acts of the 111th United States Congress, Human spaceflight, NASA oversight, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NASA Authorization Act of 2010 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study NASA Authorization Act of 2010 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NASA Authorization Act of 2010 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain NASA Authorization Act of 2010 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NASA Authorization Act of 2010 in simple terms?

Why does NASA Authorization Act of 2010 matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study NASA Authorization Act of 2010?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on NASA Authorization Act of 2010.