PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 37 - 0.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 30, 2026
NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026
This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the programs and activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The bill also directs NASA to continue planning for the eventual deorbit of the International Space Station (ISS) and to continue lunar and Mars exploration missions.
Specifically, the bill requires NASA to submit to Congress a strategy for research and operations in low-Earth orbit. (Low-Earth orbit generally encompasses an altitude of up to 2,000 kilometers.) With respect to the ISS, which sits in low-Earth orbit, NASA must generally maintain a flight cadence necessary to support productive use of the station through its operational lifetime. The bill provides statutory authority for NASA's acquisition of ISS deorbit capabilities from a commercial entity and specifies that NASA must not, to the greatest extent practicable, reduce or deprioritize ISS activities. (In 2024, NASA contracted with SpaceX for the development of an ISS deorbit vehicle.)
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Further, NASA must report on the risk to science and technology research posed by lack of access to a low-Earth orbit platform (i.e., after retirement of the ISS). NASA may continue to enter into agreements with U.S. commercial entities for the development of one or more private, low-Earth orbit platforms.
Separately, the bill directs NASA to continue efforts to support crewed lunar landings and Mars explorations, including through partnerships with the private sector (i.e., the Moon to Mars and Artemis programs).
Finally, NASA must continue researching advanced air mobility, unmanned aircraft systems (i.e., drones), and hypersonic technologies.
People & committees
Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36] · R–TX
Legislative record
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Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 37 - 0.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Jun 4, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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