Somerset Times

(July 10, 2024) WASHINGTON, DC – The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee today passed the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024. This legislation aims to reauthorize the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Included in this reauthorization is the Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries Act (ASCEND Act), introduced by Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01). The bill seeks to permanently authorize the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition program within NASA.

The ASCEND Act directs the NASA Administrator to build upon the success of the Commercial Small Satellite Data Acquisition Program (CSDA) by permanently authorizing it within NASA. This would ensure the program’s continued growth and longevity. It allows for procuring commercial Earth remote sensing data from commercial providers to meet agency needs. Additionally, it requires the Administrator to submit a report to Congress about commercial agreements signed by NASA.

"I am pleased to support the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024 and excited to see that my bill, the ASCEND Act, is included in this legislation,” said Congressman Kean. "The NASA Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition (CSDA) program is an investment in maintaining our nation’s position as a global leader in space technology. By expanding NASA’s CSDA program, we ensure that the Earth Science community has access to innovative data sets from the commercial space sector to support their scientific research. I thank Rep. Bonamici for joining me in introducing this bill and my House Science, Space and Technology Committee colleagues for supporting this effort.”

“We have an abundance of data from a growing number of commercial satellites that can help us better understand our planet,” said Congresswoman Bonamici. “Maintaining NASA’s Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition program will preserve access to quality Earth observation data needed for researchers to advance the field of earth sciences and prepare for a changing climate and natural disasters. I’m pleased to have introduced the bipartisan ASCEND Act with my colleague Congressman Kean to make the successful CSDA program permanent, and am grateful it was included in this bipartisan NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024.”

The ASCEND Act would:

- Establish CSDA as a permanent program within NASA’s Earth Science Division.

- Direct NASA to expand procurement licenses providing federal agencies access to high-quality Earth remote sensing datasets and imagery.

- Promote acquiring new datasets for scientific and non-scientific applications.

- Require an annual report to Congress on uses and impacts of commercial data products and licensing agreements.

Congressman Kean serves on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

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