ASCEND Act

S 2634, the ASCEND Act, establishes a formal NASA program to purchase commercial Earth observation satellite data and imagery. It directly affects NASA, commercial satellite vendors, and federally funded researchers by creating standardized procurement rules for data acquisition. Key provisions require NASA to allow public scientific publication of acquired data, expand data access beyond NASA users, and submit annual reports to Congress listing vendors, data uses, and end-use license terms. The bill builds on NASA's successful 2019 pilot program, aiming to broaden access to commercial satellite data for scientific research and nonmilitary government applications.