National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is proposing to amend part 1266 of Title 14 to update and ensure consistency in the use of cross-waiver of liability provisions in NASA agreements. Part 1266 provides the regulatory basis for cross-waiver provisions used in the following categories of NASA mission agreements: Agreements for activities in connection with the ``Agreement Among the Government of Canada, Governments of Member States of the European Space Agency, the Government of Japan, the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Government of the United States of America concerning Cooperation on the Civil International Space Station'' (commonly referred to as the ISS Intergovernmental Agreement, or IGA); agreements for use of the Space Shuttle; and agreements for NASA's science and space exploration missions that are launched on Expendable Launch Vehicles (ELVs). Among other generally clerical amendments to this Part, NASA is proposing to delete the subsection regarding the cross-waiver of liability during Space Shuttle operations and expand the scope of the ELV provision to encompass Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs) as well as other users of the same launch vehicle during the same launch. Comment Date: Comments due on or before November 22, 2006.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement recommendations to change the regulations related to the administration of the Cost Accounting Standards (CAS).

This document is issued under the joint authority of the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of General Services and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This Small Entity Compliance Guide has been prepared in accordance with Section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. It consists of a summary of rules appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-13 which amend the FAR. An asterisk (*) next to a rule indicates that a regulatory flexibility analysis has been prepared. Interested parties may obtain further information regarding these rules by referring to FAC 2005-13 which precedes this document. These documents are also available via the Internet at https://www.regulations.gov.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed to convert to a final rule without change, an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement Section 535(a) of Division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004, and similar sections in subsequent appropriations acts. Section 535(a) authorizes an exception to the Buy American Act for acquisitions of information technology that are commercial items.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have adopted as final, without change, an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the increased thresholds for the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement and Free Trade Agreements.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to address the record retention policy where the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) is used to submit an offeror's representations and certification.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to require agencies to publish on the Governmentwide point of entry (GPE) or e-Buy the documentation required by the FAR to support the use of brand name specifications.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), NASA's NEPA policy and procedures (14 CFR part 1216, subpart 1216.3), and Executive Order 12114, NASA intends to prepare a Programmatic EIS for the implementation of the Constellation Program. The Constellation Program encompasses NASA's initial efforts to extend a human presence throughout the Solar System as President George W. Bush outlined in his Vision for Space Exploration. Major elements of the Constellation Program are currently focused on providing the capability to transport humans and cargo first to the International Space Station (ISS), and then at a later date to the Moon in support of lunar exploration missions. These activities would provide the framework for future human exploration of the Moon, Mars and other destinations in the Solar System in the decades to come. The design, development, test, and production of the vehicles needed to transport humans and cargo, the design and development of the infrastructure necessary to support their use in missions, and the early mission applications of these vehicles form the basis of the Proposed Action and alternatives to be analyzed in the Constellation Programmatic EIS. The No Action Alternative is to not implement the Constellation Program. Present plans call for operational missions to the ISS no later than 2014 and human missions to the Moon no later than 2020. Launches are proposed to take place from John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida. Analysis of potential landing areas for returning spacecraft is at a very early stage. NASA will hold public scoping meetings as part of the NEPA process associated with development of the Programmatic EIS. Public meeting locations and dates identified at this time are provided under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

The inventions listed below assigned to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have been filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and are available for licensing.

The inventions listed below assigned to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have been filed in the United States Patent and Trademark office, and are available for licensing.

The inventions listed below assigned to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have been filed in the United States Patent and Trademark office, and are available for licensing.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has adopted as final, without change, an interim final rule regarding the policy and procedures for International Space Station crewmembers provided by NASA for flight to the International Space Station.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, as amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the NASA Advisory Council. The agenda for the meeting includes updates from each of the Council committees, including discussion and deliberation of potential recommendations. The Council Committees address NASA interests in the following areas: Aeronautics, Audit and Finance, Space Exploration, Human Capital, Science, and Space Operations.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Secretariat has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a currently approved information collection requirement concerning pollution prevention and right-to-know information. A request for public comments was published in the Federal Register at 71 FR 7020 on February 10, 2006. No comments were received. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the FAR, and whether it will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways in which we can minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and NASA policy and procedures (14 CFR Part 1216 subpart 1216.3), NASA has prepared and issued a DEIS for the proposed MSL mission. The DEIS addresses the potential environmental impacts associated with implementing the mission. The purpose of this proposal is to explore the surface of Mars with a mobile science laboratory (rover). This environmental impact statement (EIS) is a tiered document (Tier 2 EIS) under NASA's Programmatic EIS for the Mars Exploration Program (MEP). The DEIS presents descriptions of the proposed MSL mission, spacecraft, and candidate launch vehicle; an overview of the affected environment at and near the launch site; and the potential environmental consequences associated with the Proposed Action and alternatives, including the No Action Alternative. The MSL mission is planned for launch during the September-November 2009 time period from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida, on an expendable launch vehicle. The arrival date at Mars would range from mid-July 2010 to not later than mid-October 2010, depending on the exact launch date and selected landing site, yet to be determined, on the surface of Mars. Using advanced instrumentation, the MSL rover would acquire significant, detailed information regarding the habitability of Mars from a scientifically promising location on the surface. The mission would also fulfill NASA's strategic technology goals of increasing the mass of science payloads delivered to the surface of Mars, expanding access to higher and lower latitudes, increasing precision landing capability, and increasing traverse capability (mobility) to distances on the order of several kilometers. The DEIS evaluates two alternatives in addition to the No Action Alternative. Under the Proposed Action (Alternative 1), the proposed MSL rover would utilize a radioisotope power system, a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG), as its primary source of electrical power to operate and conduct science on the surface of Mars. Under Alternative 2, an MSL rover would utilize solar energy as its primary source of electrical power to operate and conduct science on the surface of Mars.

This final rule amends the NASA Grant Handbook section, ``Resource Sharing Requirements'' to add the word percent behind the blanks and add a place to identify the share dollars for the funding and non-cash contributions by both parties.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to require Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) capable products be included in information technology procurements to the maximum extent practicable.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Astrophysics Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC). This Subcommittee reports to the Science Committee of the NAC. The Meeting will be held for the purpose of soliciting from the scientific community and other persons scientific and technical information relevant to program planning.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Heliophysics Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC). This Subcommittee reports to the Science Committee of the NAC. The Meeting will be held for the purpose of soliciting from the scientific community and other persons scientific and technical information relevant to program planning.

This notice is issued in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 2451 (314)(d). The 2007 Lunar Regolith Excavation Challenge is now scheduled and teams that wish to compete may now register. The NASA Centennial Challenges Program is a program of prize contests to stimulate innovation and competition in space exploration and ongoing NASA mission areas. The 2007 Lunar Regolith Excavation Challenge is a prize contest designed to promote the development of new technologies to excavate lunar regolith. The 2007 Lunar Regolith Excavation Challenge is being administered for NASA by the California Space Education & Workforce Institute (CSEWI). Their Web site is: www.californiaspaceauthority.org/html/level-one/institute.htm l. The Centennial Challenges Web site is centennialchallenges.nasa.gov.

This notice is issued in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 2451 (314) (d). The 2006 Beam Power Challenge is now scheduled and teams that wish to compete may now register. The NASA Centennial Challenges Program is a program of prize contests to stimulate innovation and competition in space exploration and ongoing NASA mission areas. The 2006 Beam Power Challenge is a prize contest designed to promote the development of new power distribution technologies. The 2006 Beam Power Challenge is being administered for NASA by the Spaceward Foundation. Their Web site is: https://www.spaceward.org. The Centennial Challenges Web site is https://centennialchallenges.nasa.gov.

This notice is issued in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(c)(1) and 37 CFR 404.7(a)(1)(i). NASA hereby gives notice of its intent to grant an exclusive, license in the United States to practice the invention described and claimed in U.S. patent 5,880,834, titled ``Convex Diffraction Grating Imaging Spectrometer,'' NASA case number NPO-19293 to ASE Optics, Inc., having its principal place of business in Rochester, New York. The fields of use may be limited to monitoring and control of manufacturing processes. The patent rights in this invention have been assigned to the United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The prospective exclusive license will comply with the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7.