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Authorizes a non‑Federal National Institute for Space Research to support U.S. microgravity R&D and requires termination of the ISS National Laboratory cooperative agreement after ISS research ends.
Official title: Establish the National Institute for Space Research, and for other purposes.
Introduced November 19, 2025 by John Cornyn · Last progress November 19, 2025
The bill creates a centralized, federally supported Institute that expands U.S. microgravity research, commercialization, and workforce development but risks disrupting existing ISS National Lab arrangements, raising fiscal and conflict‑of‑interest concerns and leaving potential oversight gaps for private space activities.
Researchers, universities, and U.S. microgravity projects gain a new federally supported Institute that expands access to next‑generation in‑orbit microgravity R&D and flight opportunities.
Domestic companies, nonprofits, and small businesses can compete for grants and receive government recognition or support, increasing commercialization opportunities and private‑sector growth in the U.S. space industry.
Students and the workforce benefit from targeted education and workforce‑development programs tied to microgravity research, strengthening STEM pipelines.
Researchers, nonprofits, contractors, and NASA partners face abrupt disruption because the bill ends the ISS National Lab cooperative agreement within 180 days, threatening jobs, contract revenues, disposition of data and property, and access channels to post‑ISS infrastructure.
Scientists, small businesses, and taxpayers face increased risk of conflicts of interest and perceived favoritism because the bill allows longer service for outside experts and board members may have industry ties that overlap with grant applicants.
Taxpayers may face higher long‑term federal spending and budget commitments due to creation and potential ongoing appropriations for a new federally funded Institute.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Creates a new National Institute for Space Research (the "Institute") to coordinate and support U.S. in‑space microgravity research on next‑generation platforms, workforce development, and transition planning for the International Space Station (ISS) as it winds down. The Institute would be a non‑Federal entity operated under contract to NASA, governed by a mixed federal/non‑federal Board, able to award grants and cooperative agreements, and subject to conflict‑of‑interest and reporting rules. The bill also requires NASA to terminate the existing ISS National Laboratory cooperative agreement within 180 days after ISS research operations end.