NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025 will generate economic growth, help space exploration flourish

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025, which sets clear near-term priorities for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) programs, advances American leadership in deep space exploration, prevents a gap in low Earth orbit leadership and capability, and upholds scientific ingenuity. The bipartisan bill also equips NASA with the support it needs to continue critical science and exploration missions that will lead to breakthrough discoveries across our solar system.

“As Chairman of the Commerce Committee, I am committed to refocusing NASA’s efforts on its core priorities — championing space exploration and ensuring American leadership in the final frontier,” said Sen. Cruz. “The space industry is vital to the Lone Star State’s economy and has cultivated extraordinary job growth for Texas and the entire nation. NASA has long been at the forefront of our national security and economic interests, and 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.”

“NASA is the engine of our nation's aerospace economy, with Washington state's 1,500 aerospace companies alone generating $4.6 billion in economic output. Our $25.5 billion investment authorization ensures NASA will continue to lead America's ambitious space program from Earth's orbit to the Moon and Mars. 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,” said Sen. Cantwell.

“When our Artemis astronauts return to the Moon, small and large aerospace manufacturers form across Kansas will have played a role in launching America into the next era of leadership and dominance in space exploration,” said Sen. Moran. “The United States continues to make tremendous strides in space, bolstering our economy and national defense, furthering our goals of deep space exploration and preventing our adversaries from gaining a foothold in space. This legislation will provide NASA with the tools necessary to lead these efforts, particularly by supporting missions to the Moon and beyond, continued investments in science and technology development, increased public-private partnerships with aerospace manufacturers and bringing new jobs and opportunities to businesses across America.”

“This bipartisan bill will help cement America’s leadership in space exploration and the broader commercial space economy,” said Sen. Peters. “By providing NASA with the necessary resources to advance its Artemis missions and other critical work, we can create American jobs, foster innovation, strengthen our national security, and lay the foundation for long-term success and scientific discovery.”

“The brilliant minds at NASA deserve our continued, bipartisan support as they work to maintain America’s global leadership in space exploration,” said Sen. Duckworth. “Our bipartisan NASA Transition Authorization Act would help provide programmatic continuity and expand congressional oversight of NASA, protect its independence from politicization and any dangerous conflicts of interests while providing the funding that the men and women of NASA need to succeed.”

“Space is the next frontier of American innovation. With our chief adversary China working to seriously compete in space, it is even more critical that America remains the most advanced nation on the globe when it comes to our space capabilities. I am proud to help lead our country into the next frontier as an original cosponsor of the NASA Authorization Act of 2025, which not only builds upon our prior goals for NASA exploration but also allows the free market to drive innovative solutions,” said Sen. Schmitt.

“As the U.S. continues to be a global leader in space innovation and exploration, this bipartisan legislation will enable NASA to further its work and maintain American aerospace leadership,” said Sen. Luján. “New Mexico plays a critical role in furthering NASA’s mission and technological innovation, including the work conducted at the White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan bill to support facilities like the White Sands Test Facility and advance our nation’s space exploration efforts.”

The NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025 would:

• 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.

Read the full text of the bill HERE.

For more information about the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025, check out the section-by-section summary HERE.

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