PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27] · D–CA
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Oct 15, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-10-05 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed Advanced Nuclear Fission and Fusion Propulsion Systems Act would allow the Air Force to test two kinds of nuclear propulsion in space: fission, which splits atomic nuclei, and fusion, which joins them. Starting the program would be optional. Its stated purpose would be to reduce technical uncertainty and guide future propulsion development for national security missions in space.
This Act may be cited as the Advanced Nuclear Fission and Fusion Propulsion Systems Act.
may establish a pilot program to conduct in-space technology demonstrations, and related risk reduction technology development activities, with respect to both advanced nuclear fission propulsion systems and advanced nuclear fusion propulsion systems.
the Secretary shall carry out the pilot program in a manner that reduces technical risk and informs future development requirements relating to nuclear propulsion for national security missions in space
The bill would authorize, but not require, the Secretary of the Air Force to establish the pilot program through the Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory within 180 days after enactment.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force, acting through the Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, may establish a pilot program
If the program proceeds, it would address potential national security operations beyond geosynchronous orbit—the orbit where satellites take one day to circle Earth—including cislunar space, the region around Earth and the Moon. These are possible applications, not promised operational capabilities.
If the Secretary carries out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall carry out the pilot program in a manner that reduces technical risk and informs future development requirements relating to nuclear propulsion for national security missions in space, including potential operations beyond geosynchronous orbit, including in cislunar orbit.
If the program proceeds, the Secretary would select participating entities. Selection criteria would have to emphasize previous development of components and prototypes and the ability to demonstrate the technology within reasonable timeframes.
If the Secretary carries out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall select entities to carry out activities under the pilot program. In determining the criteria for making such selection, the Secretary shall emphasize previous subcomponent and prototype development and the ability to demonstrate within reasonable timeframes.
If the program proceeds, in-space demonstrations would be required within three years after enactment. The Air Force Research Laboratory Rocket Propulsion Division at Edwards Air Force Base, California, would oversee them.
If the Secretary carries out the pilot program under subsection (a), not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct in-space demonstrations described in subsection (a), with oversight by the Air Force Research Laboratory Rocket Propulsion Division at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Running the program would require technical goals and success criteria, a description of how the demonstrations would operate, a testing and evaluation approach, necessary ground tests, and assistance acquiring launch services.
In carrying out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall, at a minimum— (1) establish technical objectives and success criteria for the in-space demonstrations described in subsection (a); (2) develop a concept of operations and test and evaluation approach for the demonstrations; (3) conduct ground test activities necessary to support the demonstrations; (4) assist in the acquisition of launch services;
The Secretary would also have to plan to collect and analyze data from orbit to evaluate propulsion performance, operability and reliability. While awaiting completion of the demonstrations, the Secretary would assess possible uses in operations around Earth and the Moon.
(5) plan for collection and analysis of on-orbit data sufficient to assess propulsion performance, operability, and reliability; and (6) assess potential use cases for applications in cislunar operations pending the conclusion of the demonstrations.
Before starting the program, the Secretary would have to submit a plan to the congressional defense committees identified by the bill's reference to existing federal law.
Before commencing the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees (as defined in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code) a plan on the pilot program.
If the program proceeds, the Secretary would have to report to the congressional defense committees within one year after enactment. The report would cover program activities, planned operations and timing, technical goals and success criteria, major technical risks and plans to reduce them, and an assessment of China's parallel development and deployment efforts for strategic space propulsion.
If the Secretary carries out the pilot program under subsection (a), not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the pilot program.
The report shall include— (1) a description of the activities carried out under the pilot program, including the planned demonstration concept of operations and the associated timeline; (2) the technical objectives and success criteria established under subsection (e)(1); (3) an assessment of major technical risks and planned risk-mitigation activities; and (4) an assessment of parallel efforts by the People’s Republic of China to develop and deploy advanced space propulsion technologies for strategic purposes.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated October 15, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on Armed Services on October 5, 2026.
Source snapshot updated 2026-10-15T14:50:54Z. 2026-10-05: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. 2026-10-05: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-10-05. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow carve-out, special exemption or preferential treatment was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Oct 15, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI