POWERING EXPLORATION: AN UPDATE ON RADIOISOTOPE PRODUCTION AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM CASSINI HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION OCTOBER 4, 2017 Serial No. 115–30 Printed for the use of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://science.house.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 27–177PDF WASHINGTON : 2018 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY HON. LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas, Chair FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas DANA ROHRABACHER, California ZOE LOFGREN, California MO BROOKS, Alabama DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois RANDY HULTGREN, Illinois SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon BILL POSEY, Florida ALAN GRAYSON, Florida THOMAS MASSIE, Kentucky AMI BERA, California JIM BRIDENSTINE, Oklahoma ELIZABETH H. ESTY, Connecticut RANDY K. WEBER, Texas MARC A. VEASEY, Texas STEPHEN KNIGHT, California DONALD S. BEYER, JR., Virginia BRIAN BABIN, Texas JACKY ROSEN, Nevada BARBARA COMSTOCK, Virginia JERRY MCNERNEY, California BARRY LOUDERMILK, Georgia ED PERLMUTTER, Colorado RALPH LEE ABRAHAM, Louisiana PAUL TONKO, New York DRAIN LAHOOD, Illinois BILL FOSTER, Illinois DANIEL WEBSTER, Florida MARK TAKANO, California JIM BANKS, Indiana COLLEEN HANABUSA, Hawaii ANDY BIGGS, Arizona CHARLIE CRIST, Florida ROGER W. MARSHALL, Kansas NEAL P. DUNN, Florida CLAY HIGGINS, Louisiana RALPH NORMAN, South Carolina SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE HON. BRIAN BABIN, Texas, Chair DANA ROHRABACHER, California AMI BERA, California, Ranking Member FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma ZOE LOFGREN, California MO BROOKS, Alabama DONALD S. BEYER, JR., Virginia BILL POSEY, Florida MARC A. VEASEY, Texas JIM BRIDENSTINE, Oklahoma DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois STEPHEN KNIGHT, California ED PERLMUTTER, Colorado BARBARA COMSTOCK, Virginia CHARLIE CRIST, Florida RALPH LEE ABRAHAM, Louisiana BILL FOSTER, Illinois DANIEL WEBSTER, Florida EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas JIM BANKS, Indiana ANDY BIGGS, Arizona NEAL P. DUNN, Florida CLAY HIGGINS, Louisiana LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas (II) C O N T E N T S October 4, 2017 Page Witness List ............................................................................................................. 2 Hearing Charter ...................................................................................................... 3 Opening Statements Statement by Representative Brian Babin, Chairman, Subcommittee on Space, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Rep- resentatives ........................................................................................................... 4 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 6 Statement by Representative Ami Bera, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Space, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Rep- resentatives ........................................................................................................... 8 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 9 Statement by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, Ranking Member, Com- mittee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives .... 10 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 11 Witnesses: Mr. David Schurr, Deputy Director, Planetary Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 12 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 14 Ms. Tracey Bishop, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Infrastructure Programs, Office of Nuclear Energy, Department of Energy Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 18 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 20 Dr. Ralph L. McNutt, Jr., Chief Scientist for Space Science in the Space Exploration Sector, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Labora- tory Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 25 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 27 Ms. Shelby Oakley, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management, Govern- ment Accountability Office Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 38 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 40 Discussion ................................................................................................................. 55 Appendix I: Answers to Post-Hearing Questions Mr. David Schurr, Deputy Director, Planetary Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration .............................................................. 70 Ms. Tracey Bishop, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Infrastructure Programs, Office of Nuclear Energy, Department of Energy ........................... 73 Dr. Ralph L. McNutt, Jr., Chief Scientist for Space Science in the Space Exploration Sector, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Labora- tory ........................................................................................................................ 76 (III) POWERING EXPLORATION: AN UPDATE ON RADIOISOTOPE PRODUCTION AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM CASSINI Wednesday, October 4, 2017 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY, Washington, D.C. The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:08 a.m., in Room 2318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Brian Babin [Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding. (1) 2 l·~MAR 5 SMITH. Trx,t~ EOOIE 8£:>1NICE JOHNSON T r.x"s CHAIRMAN AMIKlNGMfMflER <rongress of the 'United eStates i1ousc of 1Rcprcscntotiocs COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY 2321 R;\YflURN HousE OFfiCE Bui!.DING WASHI~.JG!ON, DC 20515-6301 ~202) 225-6371 Powering Exploration: An Update on Radioisotope Production and Lessons Learned from Cassini Wednesday, October 4, 2017 !O:OOa.m. 2318 Rayburn House Office Building Witnesses Mr. David Schurr, Deputy Director, Planetary Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ms. Tracey Bishop, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Infrastructure Programs, Office of Nuclear Energy, Department of Energy Dr. Ralph L. McNutt, Jr., Chief Scientist for Space Science in the Space Exploration Sector, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Ms. Shelby Oaldey, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management, Government Accountability Office 3 U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE Charter TO: Members. Committee on Science, Space, and Technology FROM: Majority Staff, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology DATE: October 4'\ 2017 SUBJECT: Space Subcommittee Hearing: "Powering Exploration: An Update on Radioisotope Production and Lessons Learned from Cassini" 11 On Wednesday, October 4' , 2017 at I 0:00a.m. in Room 2318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, the Committee on Science. Space, and Technology, Subcommittee on Space, will hold a hearing titled, "Powering Exploration: An Update on Radioisotope Production and Lessons Learned from Cassini." Hearing Purpose To evaluate NASA and DOE's efforts to reconstitute the production ofPiutonium-238 (Pu-238), which is necessary for radioisotope thermonuclear generators (RTG) that provide electrical power for spacecraft that cannot use solar energy. Production ceased in the 1980s, and existing inventories were incorporated into planned missions. With the recent end ofNASA's Cassini mission to Saturn, which used Pu-238 to enable its scientific discoveries, the hearing will evaluate current efforts to reconstitute Pu-238 production, and the science it makes possible. The Science. Space, and Technology Committee requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review NASA and DOE's efforts to reconstitute domestic production of Pu-238. GAO will release the results of their review at the hearing. Witnesses • Mr. David Schurr, Deputy Director, Planetary Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration • Ms. Tracey Bishop, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Infrastructure Programs, Office of Nuclear Energy, Department of Energy • Dr. Ralph L. McNutt, Jr., Chief Scientist for Space Science in the Space Exploration Sector, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory • Ms. Shelby Oakley, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management. Government Accountability Office Staff Contact For questions related to the hearing, please contact Mr. Tom Hammond, Staff Director, Space Subcommittee, or Ms. Sara Ratliff, Policy Assistant, Space Subcommittee, at 202-225- 6371. 4 Chairman BABIN. The Subcommittee on Space will now come to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare a recess of the Subcommittee at any time. Welcome to today’s hearing titled ‘‘Powering Exploration: