To allow the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish a research center for deep space and interplanetary research, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Space Research Innovation Act establishes a new university-affiliated research center at NASA focused on deep-space and interplanetary research. The center will fund analyses and engineering support for missions beyond Earth orbit, including cis-lunar (Moon region) and deep-space exploration. NASA will award cooperative agreements and contracts to universities, federally funded research centers, and nonprofit research institutions to conduct this work.
Who Benefits and How
Universities and higher education institutions gain access to new NASA funding opportunities for space research programs, allowing them to expand their aerospace research capabilities and compete for contracts. Federally funded research and development centers in aerospace benefit from eligibility to participate in the research center and receive funding for deep-space mission support. Private sector aerospace companies benefit through new partnership opportunities with academic institutions on NASA-funded deep-space research projects.
Who Bears the Burden and How
NASA bears the administrative burden of establishing and overseeing the research center, including developing policies for participant selection, managing competitive and sole-source awards, and ensuring quality control of work products. Federal taxpayers ultimately fund the cooperative agreements and contracts awarded through the research center, though the bill does not specify appropriation amounts.
Key Provisions
- Authorizes NASA to establish a university-affiliated research center using existing authority under federal law (10 USC 3204(a)(3)(B))
- Requires the center to fund analyses and engineering support specifically for cis-lunar and deep-space missions
- Makes three types of entities eligible to participate: institutions of higher education, federally funded R&D center operators, and nonprofit research institutions
- Mandates NASA develop selection policies covering participant selection, award procedures, competitive vs. sole-source awards, and required technical capabilities
- Requires accountability measures for technical quality of work performed under the program
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Establishes a NASA university-affiliated research center for deep-space and interplanetary research
Who Benefits
- Universities and higher education institutions
- Federally funded research and development centers
- Nonprofit research institutions
Who Bears Costs
- NASA (administrative and oversight responsibilities)
- Federal taxpayers (funding for cooperative agreements)
Key Policy Areas
Space Exploration, Research & Development, Higher Education
Primary Purpose
Establishes a NASA university-affiliated research center for deep-space and interplanetary research
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Expand NASA research capabilities through university partnerships and facilitate private-public collaboration"
Identified Gains
- Universities and higher education institutions
- Federally funded research and development centers
- Nonprofit research institutions
- Aerospace industry partners
Identified Costs
- NASA (administrative and oversight responsibilities)
- Federal taxpayers (funding for cooperative agreements)
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Biggs of Arizona introduced the following bill; which was …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Federally funded research and development centers in aerospace, Private sector aerospace companies partnering on deep-space research
Universities and institutions of higher education conducting space research
Nonprofit and not-for-profit research institutions in space sciences
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_administrator"
- → Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
As defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
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