if you could just again talk about again what you see is the importance of those programs to the nasa mission. a couple of things that i think our important to make sure it's important for our country and our world. the budget request for 2019 on the earth science side of the ledger was higher than three of the previous administrations for earth

science. and it's tied with a fourth. it's right there in the middle historically of the last nine or ten years. i obviously making difficult decisions in tough times we made a determination that there were a couple of programs that ultimately were not the highest priority. it is absolutely important to me that nasa follows the guidance of the decatur survey. a brand-new survey came out in january of this year and that survey indicated the clearer you are high priorities that created the decatur survey. what you're doing right now within the earth science division. as we are evaluating that survey at the same time

because of what the senate and the house did we are moving forward with those programs. right now we are currently moving forward with those programs. as required by the omnibus of 2018. when we get to the point where were ready to present how they see the new decatur survey that recently came out. i will be more than happy to come and brief you to make sure that we're all and agreement. i will probably submit for the record that there were a number of other programs. they are on a pathbreaking mission for refueling a number of other programs including discover but if i could just

use my remainder of the time to talk about wallops i know you recently visited that. a few days ago i was out there preceding a launch to the international space station. in that cigna space craft. it's an amazing critical strategic asset for that united states of america. it helps us maintain our leadership in the world on the space station. there are number of different sounding rockets are launched from there for the purpose of weather research and climate research. it is also true that there are a number of aircraft out there former navy aircraft it is

importantly using that to measure how sick are the ice sheets in the arctic on the north pole. in fact, just recently we have some amazingly brave pilots flight over the north pole over the north atlantic measuring the thickness of the eighth using this method. the capabilities that are coming from that are informing us and helping us understand how it is changing. the ice on the surface of the planet and how that affects the rest of the planet. those missions are important. we are pilots that are taking great risk upon themselves to accomplish that science. if i have some time is a

critical capability. very soon a number of commercial satellite operators will be lowering into that. we try to bring them out of orbit are we super sink them. we try to bring them out of orbit. on top of all that. and then they become orbital debris. reports that indicated that happened in 2009 those kind of collisions are going to continue to happen every five to nine years. we've to make sure that we don't do that.

orbital servicing is a critical capability nasa is committed to it. that we can service the satellites. and keep our satellites on org or order. i look forward to working with you. thank you mister chairman. a modified second round of questions. we've other senators who are expected to arrive. in the absence of a new arrival those who are here well had additional questions till approximately 3:15 or so. nice to see you. i think you bring at

refreshing view of expanding operations and look forward to having some conversations about what can be done to help lower costs and increase the capabilities for nasa by increasing some of the partnerships in utilizing more of the capabilities that are offered by the private sector. how you view the use of potential. that can provide both the orbital more science than

we've ever been able to get before. to provide all kinds of capabilities that really have nothing to do with the nasa specifically but what that means is that we have the ability as an agency to purchase commercially access to space. and data from other people that are accessing space for other reasons. the way i see it going forward we are in the city unprecedented access to space in the coming years. in the facility like this will be a beneficiary of that

capability. the more we do that kind of activity. where we launch from. a healthy small lunch market. beyond just nasa. kodiak could be a great player in that. there is a lot of potential we recognize out there. these emerging to expand our

space lunch market and bring back some of that launch business that we had been seen overseas. hopefully you share that same view whom he ask about your plans if any to work with federal and nonfederal entities. in the north and particularly north and particularly the high north. we see that as this opportunity that will really help build out our capacity in some of these very remote rural and high cost areas. can you speak to that? historically it's been done from geo space orbit.

even some communication satellites for internet or from space for example. it's 33,000 kilometers to earth. the upside is that they don't move relative to the moving of the earth. what's happening now that i think a lot of us are excited about. the idea that we've got antennas now that are steerable a flat in ten a. where they are constantly coming over the horizon. if to be tracking some

satellite. he have to had to be able to pick those up. it is a huge technology. take those satellites and stations and bring them down to low earth orbit. a robust commercial marketplace for communications to the point where if we can get it down to a lower orbit the constellations you can use the exact same type of wave forms for a cell phone. now if thousands of cell towers. you can a portable bandwidth. maybe there's a convention in anchorage.

in the middle of the pacific ocean access to any kind of internet conductivity. i would have access immediately. obviously in rural alaska that's a big game changer. what that robust commercial servicing capability. they would generally come out of orbit in five to ten years just because there are trace atmospheres.

you can even change the technology on the satellite. it's all about getting more gigabits per second. there are a lot of opportunities here and nasa wants to be a partner that's white robotic servicing is so important. we intend to do that. we talked about a number of those things with education. let me do that by talking a moment about the aeronautics aspect. research is done with the faa on traffic management.

an on piloted vehicles in the airspace. in the characterization will lead to safer, cleaner more efficient aircraft. it's an aircraft aviation. i want to know the view of the role that they can play and being a partner with this. in regards to aeronautics. what do you expect to happen. it's another wonderful question. we see as a great opportunity to get more advanced materials. in composites for example. another aeronautics mission's

director is working through an advanced composite program with the university of wichita with the spirit arrow spirit aerosystems to put together a consortium of research which is the university. in manufacturing which is a spirit aerosystems. they put together and creating lighter materials ultimately increase the fuel efficiency. i think that partnership is solid. i think we need to do more of that.

one of the things that captured my attention in my imagination was the web telescope. i'm interested in knowing what you see as its history. by congress and gao. what you see forthcoming. a challenge that we have. i want to start by saying this. this is what we ought to be doing. estate at the very leading edge of technology. when james webb space

telescope launches. it will see back to the beginning of the universe. it's an amazing capability as important as admission as. is critical it is into the united states and the world. it has have its challenges because we are at the very leading edge of technology. the impact of course. there's been a number of challenges he start with the fact that the thrusters that damaged some of the seals. and fix thrusters. that set us back.

the sunshield that was on it. the ability to unfold and fold it back together. that has proven more challenging than i think was anticipated. we are with our challenges what i will take this. i don't think the impact will be that significant because here's why. will just use that budget for development. that's not a good thing. i would rather be using it for operations. i don't think it will be that big of an impact. the biggest challenge i have. there is a potential there is a foot limit the spent assessment and if the development cost go beyond that work and had to come back

to congress and be reauthorized. we spent so much money and have come so far and so close it's important that we do that. i will testify to that today i'm here to tell you that i don't know for can hit that 8 billion-dollar market or not. the good thing is we have an independent review that's underway right now by a person who is exceptionally good at this kind of activity he and his team can in a report to us in to you on the status of the james webb here in june. when that report comes out work and had to come to a meeting of the minds and figure out how to we go forward with this program if indeed we do need to go above the eight dollar cap that was spent by congress.

as i understand your testimony. your hundred% committed the other question i have related to one of the recommendations that came out of the decatur survey. the top priority a large project.

when we think about these big projects these are opportunities for us. more talk about programs that have a finite lifetime. when the end of the james webb and so we need to head something that can come next. i certainly understand all of that. one of the challenges that we have is because of what we do these flagship programs that take a big chunk of what that decatur survey is wanting and if you take a 60% 60% of the budget that we had two do one particular mission. when you think about w first. we are following.

and we are looking at what the costs are going to be going forward. we are committed to not had that to james webb. when we go to the decatur survey. we might want to contribute that risk. within the nasa budget. i look forward to continuing the conversation. and thank you for your testimony. our votes have been called. i would ask if you have a moment after the hearing. i like to spend a minute with you. i would announce that our subcommittee well have its markup.

the full array of issues within our subcommittee's jurisdiction. to do markup of this and other appropriation bills. there are no further questions this afternoon. they may submit additional questions we request that neck respond to those and now stands in recess. [inaudible conversations]

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