The Space and Aeronautics subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology (HSS&T) Committee held a hearing on December 4, 2025 on China’s space program and ensuring U.S. leadership in space.

The following witnesses testified at the hearing on “Strategic Trajectories: Assessing China’s Space Rise and the Risks to U.S. Leadership”:

• Dean Cheng, Senior Fellow, The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies
• Clayton Swope, Deputy Director, Aerospace Security Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Patrick Besha, Founder, Global Space Group (and former NASA China expert)
• Michael Griffin, Co-President LogiQ, Inc (and former NASA Administrator)

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on December 4: Getting Back to the Moon Before China No Sure Bet.

On December 3, 2025, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a second hearing on the nomination of Jared Isaacman to be NASA Administrator.

The committee’s first hearing was on April 9 and it approved the nomination on April 30, but President Trump withdrew the nomination on May 31 after a falling out with Elon Musk, who recommended Isaacman.

On November 4, however, Trump announced he would re-nominate Isaacman for the job and the committee decided to hold a second hearing.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on December 3: Isaacman’s Second Hearing Mostly Friendly, Nomination Could Clear Senate Soon.

On September 3, 2025, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on “There’s a Bad Moon on the Rise: Why Congress and NASA Must Thwart China in the Space Race.”

Witnesses were:

• Mr. Allen Cutler, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration
• Mr. Michael Gold, President of Civil and International Space for Redwire
• The Honorable Jim Bridenstine, Managing Partner of the Artemis Group and Former Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Lieutenant General John Shaw, Former Deputy Commander of the U.S. Space Command

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on September 3, 2025: “Senators Insist Artemis Must Get America Back to the Moon Before China.”

The Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee of the House Science, Space and Technology (SS&T) Committee held a hearing on May 15, 2025 to discuss NASA’s planetary defense program to find and track asteroids and comets that might threaten Earth.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on May 15, 2025:  NASA’s Asteroid-Hunting Telescope On Track for 2027 Launch.

On April 9, 2025, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on President Trump’s nomination of Jared Isaacman to be the next Administrator of NASA.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing that day: “Isaacman Insists NASA Can Pursue Moon and Mars Goals Simultaneously.”

The space subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology (SS&T) Committee held a hearing on February 26, 2025 on NASA’s Artemis program to return U.S. astronauts to the surface of the Moon: “Step by Step: The Artemis Program and NASA’s Path to Human Exploration of the Moon, Mars, and Beyond.”

No NASA witnesses were present, although subcommittee Ranking Member Valerie Foushee (D-NC) noted for the record that NASA had been invited and she was disappointed they chose not to come.

The witnesses were:

• Scott Pace, Director, Space Policy Institute, George Washington University
• Dan Dumbacher, Adjunct Professor Purdue University

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on February 26: House Committee Backs Moon-to-Mars, But Changes May be Needed.

As the article explains about the two witnesses: “Both played critical roles at NASA in the George W. Bush Administration’s Constellation program. Dumbacher stayed at NASA and led the early years of the congressionally-directed Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew capsule (SLS/Orion) program during the first part of the Obama Administration before leaving for academia (Purdue). He later was CEO of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and recently returned to Purdue.  Pace left the government for academia as well, becoming Director of George Washington University’s Space Policy Institute. In 2017, he returned to government as Executive Secretary of the National Space Council during Trump’s first term, and went back to GW at the end of 2020.”

The Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee of the House, Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing on September 10, 2024 on “Risks and Rewards: Encouraging Commercial Space Innovation While Maintaining Public Safety.”

Witnesses were:

• Kelvin Coleman, FAA Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation
• David Cavossa, President, Commercial Spaceflight Federation
• Mike French, Founder, Space Policy Group, and Vice Chair, FAA Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee
• Pamela Meredith, Chair, Space Law Practice, KMA Zuckert, LLC

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on September 11:  SpaceX Complains of Starship Licensing Delay as House Committee Questions FAA Regs.

The Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee held a hearing on NASA’s FY2025 budget request on April 17, 2024.  NASA Administrator Bill Nelson was the sole witness.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on April 17, 2024: Nelson Defends Tough Choices in FY2025 Budget Request.

The Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology (SS&T) Committee held a hearing on NASA’s science programs on March 21, 2024.

Congress cut NASA’s FY2024 budget not only below the President’s request, but below its FY2023 level. The science budget was hit particularly hard, especially planetary science. At the same time, NASA is assessing the future of the Mars Sample Return misson following an independent review plus a report from the NASA Inspector General’s office questioning its cost and whether it needs to be completely revamped.

Witnesses were:

• Nicola (Nicky) Fox, NASA Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate
• George Scott, Acting NASA Inspector General
• Jonathan Lunine, David C. Duncan Professor in the Physical Sciences, Cornell University
• A. Thomas (Tom) Young, Former Director, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Former President and COO of Martin Marietta Corp.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on March 21, 2024: Mars Sample Return Dominates House Hearing on NASA Science.

The Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing on February 14, 2024 on “ISS and Beyond: The Present and Future of American Low-Earth Orbit Activities.”

Witnesses were:

• Ken Bowersox, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations
• Mary Lynne Dittmar, Chief Government and External Relations Officer, Axiom Space
• Robert Ferl, Co-Chair, Committee on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and Distinguished Professor and Assistant Vice President for Research, University of Florida
• Dylan Taylor, Chairman and CEO, Voyager Space

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on Februray 14, 2024: Transitioning from ISS to Commercial Space Stations: Plenty of Questions, But Few Answers.