Senators Introduce 2025 NASA Authorization Bill

A bipartisan group of Senators introduced a NASA authorization bill today that is very similar to one introduced in the closing days of the last Congress. The bill supports American leadership in space, including NASA’s Artemis program to return astronauts to the Moon and go on to Mars, leveraging private sector investment, and other ongoing priorities.

The NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025 is co-sponsored by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), along with two other Republicans (Sen. Jerry Moran, KS, and Sen. Eric Schmitt, MO) and three Democrats (Sen. Gary Peters, MI; Sen. Tammy Duckworth, IL; and Sen. Ben Ray Luján, NM).

Last year’s bill, S. 5600, was introduced on December 18, too late for further action. At the time Democrats were in control of the Senate and Cantwell was the lead sponsor, joined by Sen. Cruz, Sen. Schmitt, Sen. Luján, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS).  Sinema didn’t run for reelection, so no longer is in the  Senate. Wicker is still a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, but not a co-sponsor as of now.

In a statement, Cruz said he is “committed to refocusing NASA on its core priorities — championing space exploration and ensuring American leadership in the final frontier.”

“I am proud to work with my colleagues on this bipartisan bill that allows commercial space ventures to flourish, builds up a U.S.-led low-Earth orbit economy, and takes the first step towards returning America to the Moon and ensuring we will be first on Mars.” — Sen. Ted Cruz

Calling NASA “the engine of our nation’s aerospace economy,” Cantwell said:

“We cannot afford to put our space leadership in jeopardy through hasty restructuring or ineffective oversight. Resiliency, redundancy and predictability for critical missions is the way to responsibly manage public resources and ensure safety.” — Sen. Maria Cantwell

Both Cruz and Cantwell have major aerospace companies in their states and NASA’s Johnson Space Center is in Texas.  Cruz called the space industry “vital to the Lone Star State’s economy and [it] has cultivated extraordinary job growth for Texas and the entire nation.” Cantwell noted the “1,500 aerospace companies … generating $4.6 billion in economic output” in Washington.

Moran not only sits on the Senate Commerce Committee, but chairs the Senate Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science subcommittee that funds NASA, putting him in an especially powerful position for the agency.  He said: “When our Artemis astronauts return to the Moon, small and large aerospace manufacturers form [sic] across Kansas will have played a role in launching America into the next era of leadership and dominance in space exploration.”

Overall, the sponsors focused on the need for American leadership in space and continuity at NASA.

The committee highlighted these aspects of the 100-page bill:

• Support NASA’s human spaceflight and exploration efforts to return American astronauts to the Moon, prepare for future journeys to Mars, and develop the next generation of spacesuits.
• Direct NASA to take steps to enable the growth of a U.S.-led low-Earth orbit destination and commercial space economy.
• Leverage private sector investment and partnerships to bolster human space exploration.
• Develop lunar capabilities by establishing a lunar time zone and continuing to procure lunar payload services.
• Harmonize research and development of hypersonic technology, unmanned aircraft systems, and advanced air mobility across the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense (DOD).
• Evaluate cost-caps associated with mission proposals to ensure the fair use of taxpayer dollars.
• Support vital life and physical science research to ensure that humans can safely explore deep space.
• Protect Earth from asteroids and other near-Earth objects through NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office.

Among other provisions, the bill:

• reaffirms support for the “full development of capabilities of the Space Launch System” rocket as provided for in the 2010 NASA Authorization Act and a commitment to the flight rate for SLS and the Orion spacecraft provided for in the 2022 NASA Authorization Act [two SLS/Orion flights per year after the first lunar landing].
• asserts it is in the U.S. national interest to maintain a continuous presence in low Earth orbit, operating the International Space Station until at least one commercial space station is available to replace it, and directing that the ISS not be deorbited until then unless required for technical reasons.
• reaffirms support for a balanced science program with research and analysis grants; technology development; suborbital research; small, medium, and large space missions; and leading a Mars Sample Return program.
• asserts that a “strong and ambitious space exploration program conducted with international and commercial partners is important to maintaining United States leadership in space and enhancing United States international competitiveness.”

The bill authorizes $25.478 billion for NASA in FY2025.  Authorization bills recommend funding levels, but do not actually provide any funding. Only appropriators have money to spend, but the matter is moot in any case since FY2025 is half over and Congress is likely to pass a full-year Continuing Resolution (CR) for the rest of the year that will keep NASA at its FY2024 level. The House passed the CR earlier today.

The House passed a NASA authorization bill last year, but one has not been introduced yet this year.