S 1437 United States Senate · 119th Congress

ASCEND Act

The ASCEND Act establishes a formal program for NASA to acquire and share commercial Earth observation satellite data and imagery. It requires NASA to prioritize U.S. commercial vendors when purchasing data to support scientific research, operational needs, and educational goals for NASA and other federal agencies. The law mandates that procured data must remain freely publishable for scientific use and sets reporting requirements for NASA to detail vendors, data terms, and how the data advances research aligned with scientific priorities. This directly affects NASA, commercial satellite providers, and federally funded researchers who gain broader access to Earth observation data.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

Sep 2025

Senate Passage

Dec 2025

House Passage

President

Introduced Apr 10, 2025 Last action Dec 10, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in Senate → Engrossed in Senate · 6 edits · Dec 9, 2025

MODERATE

The Engrossed version makes several clarifying and narrowing amendments to NASA's Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program. Most significantly, the program's role is redefined from satisfying to complementing scientific and operational requirements, and a cost-effectiveness requirement is added. Publication rights are narrowed to academic and scientific publications specifically.

Scope change

The program's scope was narrowed in two ways: it now complements rather than satisfies NASA requirements, and publication rights are limited to academic and scientific publications rather than any form of publication.

SCOPE

The program's purpose changed from 'satisfy' to 'complement' the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of NASA, shifting commercial data from a primary source to a supplementary one.

Publication rights under subsection (b) were narrowed from any publication to specifically 'academic or scientific articles, papers, or other similar publications,' limiting the scope of permitted use.

REQUIREMENT

A cost-effectiveness requirement was added: the program must now 'cost-effectively acquire and disseminate' commercial Earth observation data and imagery.

DEFINITION

The program is now explicitly named the 'Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program' in the statutory text.

TECHNICAL

The section header changed from 'Data publication and transparency' to 'Data publication and accessibility.'

Paragraph (3) now references the 2017 Private-Sector Small Constellation Satellite Data Product Pilot as a predecessor program and adds 'evaluate' to the list of activities (identify, evaluate, validate, acquire).

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Dec 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8581; text: CR S8581)

upper

Dec 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

upper

Sep 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

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.

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Committee

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in Senate

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor