ASCEND Act
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The ASCEND Act would give NASA formal statutory authority to run its Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program, which buys Earth-observation imagery and data from private satellite companies to support scientific research.
By writing the program into law, the bill would lock in rules that let NASA share purchased satellite data more broadly with other agencies and researchers while still favoring U.S. commercial vendors.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would establish, in permanent law, NASA's Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program within the Earth Science Division, converting what has been a pilot effort into a formally authorized program to purchase and distribute commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery. It would let NASA set or modify end-use license terms so that data can be used broadly by people beyond NASA-funded researchers, including other federal agencies, and would require that any acquisition terms not block publication of the data or derived information in academic or scientific work. To the maximum extent practicable, NASA would have to procure this data from U.S.-incorporated vendors.
The bill would also require NASA to report annually to Congress on which vendors are supplying data, their license terms, and how the data supports research priorities. It does not create new funding, alter NASA's broader Earth science mission goals, or extend authority to other types of remote sensing beyond commercial satellite imagery.
Key provisions
- 1Would establish the Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program within NASA's Earth Science Division to acquire and disseminate commercial Earth observation data and imagery.
- 2Would prohibit acquisition terms from preventing publication of commercial data, imagery, or derived information in scientific or academic publications.
- 3Would authorize NASA to set or modify end-use license terms allowing broad use of procured data by non-NASA users, including other federal agencies.
- 4Would require NASA to procure commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery from United States vendors to the maximum extent practicable.
- 5Would require NASA to submit an initial report within 180 days of enactment, and annual reports thereafter, to relevant congressional committees on vendors, license terms, and program use.
Who would be affected
NASA's Science Mission Directorate and Earth Science Division, commercial satellite data vendors (particularly U.S. companies), other federal agencies that might use the acquired imagery, and academic and scientific researchers who rely on published Earth observation data and analyses.
Why it matters
Formal statutory authority would give the program more durability than a pilot initiative, potentially encouraging vendors to invest in supplying NASA and giving researchers more predictable access to commercial satellite data. Guaranteed publication rights would let scientists share findings derived from the data, while the U.S.-vendor preference would channel federal purchases toward domestic satellite companies.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Creates Title 51, United States Code (Chapter 603) (Sec. 2(b))
Adds a new Section 60307 establishing and formally authorizing NASA's Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program.
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- NASA's initial vendor report to Congress on the new program
- Subsequent vendor reports to Congress after the initial report
Funding and costs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates that implementing S. 1437, the ASCEND Act, would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025–2030 period, subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
S. 1437 would codify NASA's Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition pilot program, which acquires commercial remote-sensing data and imagery of the Earth for use by NASA, other federal agencies, and researchers. The bill's main cost driver is a new reporting requirement: NASA would have to report to Congress within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter on agreements under the program. Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO estimates implementing these reporting requirements would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025–2030 period, with any spending subject to future appropriations (discretionary funding). CBO identified no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates in the bill.
How implementation would work
NASA's Earth Science Division would formally operate the acquisition program, evaluating and onboarding commercial vendors and negotiating end-use license terms permitting broader data sharing. NASA would prioritize U.S.-incorporated vendors when practicable. Starting 180 days after enactment and annually afterward, NASA would report to the Senate Commerce Committee and House Science Committee listing participating vendors, describing license terms, explaining how each vendor advances research priorities (including National Academies decadal survey priorities), and specifying which agreements allow federal or non-federal users to access the data.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
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Official CRS summary
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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.
Legislative subjects
Congressional oversight; Earth sciences; Photography and imaging; Science, Technology, Communications; Space flight and exploration; Spacecraft and satellites
Committee report
S. Rept. 119-68