ASCEND Act
Summary
The ASCEND Act would provide legal authority for NASA's Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition program, which purchases remote sensing data and imagery from commercial satellite companies. This data helps NASA conduct Earth science research by collecting information about Earth's surface from satellites in orbit.
Under this bill, NASA would be able to create or update agreements that allow the satellite data and imagery to be used more widely, including by other federal agencies and researchers outside NASA. The bill would require that any data acquisition agreements cannot restrict scientists from publishing the data or research findings for scientific purposes. Additionally, the legislation aims to prioritize purchasing this satellite data from U.S. vendors whenever practical.
If enacted, this bill would essentially give NASA a clear legal framework to manage its commercial satellite data program and ensure that the information collected can be shared and published for scientific advancement rather than kept restricted.
