Bill Overview
Title: ASTRO Act
Description: This bill authorizes the expenditure of federal funds for transportation of government astronauts returning from space for the performance of medical research, monitoring, diagnosis, or treatment or other official duties prior to receiving post-flight medical clearance to operate a motor vehicle.
Sponsors: Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36]
Target Audience
Population: government astronauts returning from space
Estimated Size: 60
- The bill is specific to 'government astronauts,' meaning it does not apply to the general astronaut population but rather those employed by or acting on behalf of government space agencies.
- The population will include current astronauts that return from space missions and require transportation before they are cleared for operating vehicles after their missions.
- It impacts astronauts involved in official duties across various government space programs globally.
- Considering the global space community, countries with active space programs employing astronauts are relevant.
Reasoning
- The ASTRO Act directly affects a small population of government astronauts, specifically those employed by NASA in the United States.
- Current employment levels of active NASA astronauts range from 50-60, which the policy would target specifically when they return from space missions.
- Transport needs are likely episodic based on mission schedules, influencing the calculations for funding and expected utilization.
- The focus is on wellbeing impacts related to transportation ease and safety, potentially reducing stress or logistical issues by ensuring reliable transportation during critical times post-mission.
- Astronauts often have high baseline wellbeing due to extensive support structures already, so the policy may not cause large shifts but can prevent negative wellbeing impacts.
- Among the broader US population, this policy will have no immediate impact, reinforcing the specificity and low commonness of affected individuals.
Simulated Interviews
Astronaut (Houston, TX)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy seems like a sensible safety measure.
- Having secure and reliable transportation fits into the structured support system post-mission.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Astronaut (Cape Canaveral, FL)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a helpful policy that addresses a real gap.
- Supports my focus on mission tasks without worrying about post-landing logistics.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Astronaut Trainee (Washington D.C.)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is reassuring for my future missions.
- Having a support system planned helps reduce anxiety about the unknowns in space travel.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired Astronaut (Houston, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I appreciate the new policies that improve astronaut life, even if they won't directly benefit me.
- It illustrates ongoing support for safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Astronaut Candidate (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Preemptive planning for transport makes missions safer for astronauts' wellbeing.
- Promotes efficient recovery which is crucial for research continuity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Mission Control Specialist (Huntsville, AL)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Enhances the support structure we can offer returning astronauts.
- Reduces strain on mission planning especially for recovery phases.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Spacecraft Engineer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any policy that boosts safety is beneficial for all of us involved in space missions.
- There's always potential for split-second decisions, and this provides a safety net.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Deputy Director at NASA (Houston, TX)
Age: 36 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A strategic move that aligns with our safety-centric culture.
- It'll ensure smooth operations during critical post-mission periods.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Space Scientist (Miami, FL)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Provisions that protect astronaut health efficiently leverage our research objectives.
- A meaningful enhancement to logistical workflows.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Commercial Spaceflight Participant (Boston, MA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy doesn't directly affect me as I operate in the commercial sector.
- It's interesting to see how government policies prioritize astronaut safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1200000 (Low: $1000000, High: $1500000)
Year 2: $1250000 (Low: $1050000, High: $1550000)
Year 3: $1300000 (Low: $1100000, High: $1600000)
Year 5: $1500000 (Low: $1300000, High: $1800000)
Year 10: $1800000 (Low: $1500000, High: $2100000)
Year 100: $3000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $3500000)
Key Considerations
- The bill specifically targets a very small population of astronauts, hence the overall cost and impact are limited.
- Costs are primarily tied to transportation logistics and medical transport services.
- Coordination with various governmental and possibly international bodies may be necessary.
- There could be slight administrative costs related to the implementation and oversight of the transportation provisions.