Changing the way the government acquires national security space systems — indeed, military systems writ large — to be faster and more cost effective has been a goal of countless Congresses and Administrations. The Trump Administration is trying anew and the head of the U.S. Space Force is convinced this time is different. Gen. B. Chance Saltzman calls it a “national security imperative and a generational opportunity”
Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of November 16-22, 2025 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in session this week.
The Democratic members of the Maryland congressional delegation have written to Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy asking for an explanation of reported laboratory and other facility closures at Goddard Space Flight Center. Their letter follows one from the top Democrat on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), on Monday. NASA responded to her today disputing that anything inappropriate is taking place.
China’s three-man Shenzhou-20 space station crew landed safely this morning (EST) in the Shenzhou-21 capsule. Their Shenzhou-21 colleagues remain aboard Tiangong-3 with the Shenzhou-20 capsule that apparently was damaged by space debris. China says a new Shenzhou-22 capsule will be launched for them “at the appropriate time in the future.”
Blue Origin not only had a successful launch today and sent two NASA cubesats on their way to Mars, but landed their New Glenn-2 first stage on a barge at sea on just their second try. It was a winning trifecta for Jeff Bezos’s company that is beginning to compete in the orbital launch market after years of suborbital launches from the West Texas desert.
The House approved Senate-passed legislation and President Trump signed it into law this evening, ending the 43-day government shutdown. The bill includes full-year funding for agencies covered by three of the 12 appropriations bills. Agencies in the other nine, including Defense, NASA, and NOAA, are funded through January 30, 2026. The goal is to pass those bills before then.
In an obscurely worded statement, China’s Xinhua news agency conveyed that the Shenzhou-20 crew is doing well on its extended stay aboard the Tiangong-3 space station. Their planned return to Earth a week ago was delayed because their spacecraft apparently was struck by space debris. Xinhua did not say then or now when they will return or whether a replacement spacecraft must be launched.
Tonight the Senate cleared the bill to end the government shutdown, which has lasted 41 days so far. Eight Democrats and Independents again joined 52 Republicans for final passage of the Continuing Resolution. Because the Senate made changes to the House-passed version, the House must vote on it again, which could happen as soon as Wednesday. If it clears the House and is signed into law, most government agencies will be funded at their current levels through January 30, 2026.
The top Democrat on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee is raising the alarm about actions being taken at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center during the government shutdown to close laboratories and other facilities critical to NASA missions. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) wrote a letter to the acting head of NASA today demanding that the closures and relocations cease immediately, noting Goddard staff were informed only last week that some facilities must be emptied by this Wednesday, November 12.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune finally got the eight Democrats/Independents he needed to vote in favor of a Continuing Resolution that will allow the government to reopen. Tonight’s vote was just one step — though a critically important one — in a process that could take several days to play out. Among other things, the CR is different from the one that passed the House on September 19 so the House will have to vote on it again.