Sponsors (2)
The bill creates a modestly funded, voluntary federal Center to coordinate research, grants, and industry collaboration that can improve protection of astronomical observations and transparency—but because it relies on non‑binding cooperation and limited funds, adoption may be uneven and accountability limited.
Researchers, astronomers, universities, tribal entities, and nonprofits: Establishes a dedicated Center with competitive grants, technical assistance, and an authorized appropriation (up to $20M FY2026–2030) to coordinate R&D and develop mitigation tools to reduce optical and radio interference.
Researchers and the broader astronomy community: Requires the Center to publish R&D results in a publicly accessible repository, improving transparency, reuse of methods, and dissemination of best practices.
Federal agencies and industry (including satellite operators): Promotes voluntary collaboration and development of non‑mandatory mitigation practices that can reduce impacts on observations while avoiding immediate regulatory costs to industry.
Researchers and the public: The bill relies heavily on voluntary industry adoption and non‑binding practices, which could produce uneven implementation and leave some observations vulnerable to ongoing optical and radio interference.
Taxpayers and program beneficiaries: The authorized $20M (FY2026–2030) is a modest federal outlay that represents an opportunity cost and may be insufficient to scale solutions nationwide.
Researchers and oversight stakeholders: Absence of binding requirements limits accountability and measurable enforcement, making it harder to ensure progress or compel adoption of effective protections.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates a NIST Center to coordinate voluntary research, standards, grants, and stakeholder efforts to reduce light and radio interference with federally funded astronomy.
Creates a NIST-based Center of Excellence to coordinate federal and private efforts to reduce light and radio-frequency interference that harms federally funded optical and radio astronomy. The Center will fund and support research, develop best practices and standards, convene stakeholders (including the satellite industry and observatories), and report to Congress; actions are voluntary and subject to appropriations.
Introduced November 20, 2025 by John Wright Hickenlooper · Last progress November 20, 2025