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:
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:
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:
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:
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.
The Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing on NASA’s Artemis program on January 17, 2024. The hearing came a week after NASA announced one-year delays for the next two Artemis missions, the Artemis II crew test flight around the Moon and the Artemis III mission that will put astronauts back on the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo. They now are planned for 2025 and 2026.
Witnesses were:
SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on January 17, 2024: Artemis Gets Strong Support From House Committee Members, But Not Mike Griffin.
The Space and Science Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on December 13, 2023 on “Government Promotion of Safety and Innovation in the New Space Economy.” The four witnesses were all from the government as compared with an October hearing with private sector representatives.
The witnesses at this hearing were:
SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on December 13: Senators Skeptical of White House Mission Authorization Proposal.
The House Science, Space, and Technology (SS&T) Committee marked up the Commercial Space Act (H.R. 6131) in November 2023.
The markup began on November 15, but final votes were deferred until November 29. Less than an hour before the November 15 markup, the White House National Space Council released its proposal for how to regulate new types of space activities — often referred to as “mission authorization.”
SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the November 15 and the November 29 markups.
The Space and Science Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on October 18, 2023 to discuss the future of commercial human spaceflight regulation.
Industry and other private sector witnesses argued that Congress should extend the “learning period” now in effect that prevents the FAA from promulgating new regulations while the industry is still in its early stages. SpaceX’s Bill Gerstenmaier also emphasized that current regulations are slowing the development of SpaceX’s Starship system. They are awaiting a license from the FAA to conduct their second test flight, but the process is slow especially because agencies other than the FAA, like the Fish and Wildlife Service, are also involved because of environmental regulations.
SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on October 18, 2023: SpaceX Warns Government Regulations Slowing Starship, Could Let China Get Ahead.