Space and Aeronautics

The Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee is a specialized division of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology that focuses on a critical slice of federal science and technology policy. As a subcommittee, it conducts initial hearings and reviews legislation before matters move to the full committee, which has the authority to report bills to the House floor. The subcommittee prepares the groundwork for major space and aviation decisions that affect American competitiveness and innovation.

The subcommittee's jurisdiction covers all aspects of space exploration and aeronautics. This includes oversight of NASA and its laboratories, national space policy and access to space, commercial space activities, space law, international space cooperation, and civil aviation research including unmanned aerial systems. The subcommittee also oversees the Federal Aviation Administration's research and development programs and the National Space Council. In essence, it serves as Congress's primary forum for examining how the United States develops and executes its space program and aviation policy.

The subcommittee is chaired by Mike Haridopolos (R-FL), with Valerie P. Foushee (D-NC) serving as Ranking Member. The 12-member panel has held recent hearings on major topics including the Artemis lunar program, NASA's planetary defense strategy against asteroid threats, the future of low Earth orbit and commercial space platforms, and China's growing space capabilities. These hearings reflect the subcommittee's focus on ensuring American leadership in space exploration while balancing innovation with safety and fiscal responsibility.