HR7273Referred to Committee

NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026

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Introduced
In Committee
3
Passed One Chamber
4
Passed Both
5
Signed into Law
119th
Congress
2026-01-30
Introduced
3
Cosponsors
HR
ⓘ
Type

Sponsor

Brian Babin
Brian Babin
Republican · TX · Representative
Votes with party: 98.1% (594 recorded votes)

Full profile: /officials/B001291

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (3)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

Latest Action

The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 37 - 0.

2026-02-04

Source: Congress.gov

Committee Activity

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Plain-English Summary

NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026 This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the programs and activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The bill also directs NASA to continue planning for the eventual deorbit of the International Space Station (ISS) and to continue lunar and Mars exploration missions. Specifically, the bill requires NASA to submit to Congress a strategy for research and operations in low-Earth orbit. ( Low-Earth orbit generally encompasses an altitude of up to 2,000 kilometers.) With respect to the ISS, which sits in low-Earth orbit, NASA must generally maintain a flight cadence necessary to support productive use of the station through its operational lifetime. The bill provides statutory authority for NASA's acquisition of ISS deorbit capabilities from a commercial entity and specifies that NASA must not, to the greatest extent practicable, reduce or deprioritize ISS activities. (In 2024, NASA contracted with SpaceX for the development of an ISS deorbit vehicle.) Further, NASA must report on the risk to science and technology research posed by lack of access to a low-Earth orbit platform (i.e., after retirement of the ISS). NASA may continue to enter into agreements with U.S. commercial entities for the development of one or more private, low-Earth orbit platforms. Separately, the bill directs NASA to continue efforts to support crewed lunar landings and Mars explorations, including through partnerships with the private sector (i.e., the Moon to Mars and Artemis programs). Finally, NASA must continue researching advanced air mobility, unmanned aircraft systems (i.e., drones), and hypersonic technologies.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

Subjects

Science, Technology, Communications
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