S 1437 · ASCEND Act
Held at the desk.
- Introduced
- Apr 10, 2025
- Latest action
- Dec 10, 2025
- Sponsor
- Sen. John W. Hickenlooper [D-CO]
- Policy area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Cosponsors
- 1
Summary
Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries Act or the ASCEND Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition (CSDA) program run by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Through the CSDA program, NASA acquires remote sensing data and imagery from commercial satellites to support its Earth science research. ( Remote sensing generally refers to the collection of data by instruments in Earth’s orbit, such as satellites, that can be processed into imagery of Earth’s surface.) Under the bill, NASA may establish or modify end-use agreements to allow for broad use of data and imagery acquired under the program, including by individuals outside of NASA (e.g., other federal agencies). The terms of any data or imagery acquisition may not prevent the publication of such data or imagery for scientific purposes or the publication of information derived from it. To the extent practicable, NASA must acquire such data and imagery from U.S. vendors.
Recent actions
- Dec 10, 2025 Held at the desk.
- Dec 10, 2025 Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Dec 10, 2025 Received in the House.
- Dec 9, 2025 Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8581; text: CR S8581)
- Dec 9, 2025 Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 29, 2025 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 173.
- Sep 29, 2025 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-68.
- Sep 29, 2025 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-68.
Votes
No recorded votes are available for this bill.